Angels Nearing Worst Start in Franchise History: How 2026 Compares to the 1999 Team

As the core of a future World Series championship team was starting to form, the Angels got off to the worst start in franchise history in 1999. Not even that team managed to lose 100 games, but the 2026 Angels may not be as fortunate.

The 1999 Angels were worse early, but likely better the rest of the season.

In 1999 Opening Day was April 4th, so the 2026 squad has played more games to this point. Here's where percentages come into play. The 1999 team was 6-17 on May 1st, good for a 26% win rate. At that time they were on pace for 42 wins and 120 losses. That would have set a new MLB record for losses in the modern era.

The 2026 version is much better at 37.5% but that number is dropping. At their current rate, the 2026 Angels will finish with a 61-101 record that would mark the franchise's first 100 loss campaign.

From May 1st on the 1999 Angels played much better baseball. Finishing the year 72-90 meant the team when 66-73 for the duration of the season. That is a 47% win rate over the course of 139 games.

In order for the 2026 team to finish with only 90 losses, the team will need to go 60-70 to finish the season. That is a winning percentage of 46 which is right in line with what the 1999 team pulled off.

This team is far more powerful and strikeout prone.

The 1999 team featured some Angels royalty in Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, and a 22 year old Troy Glaus. But the rest of the lineup was not as powerful and the team finished 25th in total home runs.

However, they also finished with the 12th highest strikeout total in the league with 1022. The 2026 Angels are on pace to blow past that figure about 105 games into the season.

One big similarity is the lack of doubles. The 1999 squad was dead last in doubles with 248 (GA had 36 of those). In 2026 the Angels rank 22nd in the league with 44. This year's team is on pace to hit 26 fewer doubles than the 1999 team.

The on base percentages for the two teams are similar. In 1999 that number was .322. It currently sits at .332 for the 2026 team. But in a show of how different the Steroid Era was, the 1999 team was last in MLB in on base percentage while this year's team is sixth best.

Does any of this matter?

Oct 19, 2002; Anaheim, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Anaheim Angels center fielder Darin Erstad at the plate against the San Francisco Giants during game one of the 2002 World Series at Edison Field. The Angels went on to win the World Series. Mandatory Credit: VJ Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK | VJ Lovero-Imagn Images

Well, if the Angels win the World Series in three years the storylines will write themselves. The 1999 team was the beginning of an unprecedented run of success built around a homegrown core. Back then it was Anderson, Salmon, Erstad, and Glaus with guys like Bengie Monlina getting his first taste of MLB life.

Nowadays the franchise is looking for Zach Neto, Oswald Peraza, Jo Adell, and Jose Soriano to lead the next wave. At this point in time there is no reason to compare them with the franchise's greatest core in any way other than point out the hope any young core can bring to a franchise.

Ultimately each team is different. The starting pitching on this year's team is probably a bit better than it was in 1999. The offense might be, too. But the Angels bullpen did not have a single negative WAR pitcher in it and that is the major difference between the two.

Hopefully one day we look back on 2026 as the beginning of a turnaround. That is resembles 1999 for more than just the bad start to the season. We will see in a few years.

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