What Is Going Wrong for the Angels Offense and How to Fix It

After a torrid road trip that saw the Angels score seemingly at will, the offense has gone into a funk the last four games.

Apr 7, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Josh Lowe (3) prepares to bat during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

After a torrid road trip that saw the Angels score seemingly at will, the offense has gone into a funk the last four games. While some of this was just baseball math balancing out, there are some definitive causes for the inconsistent offense. The good news is the pendulum should swing the other way at some point, but there are things that can be done to improve the lineup's odds of scoring.

Let's take a look what is going wrong and how to fix it.

Kurt Suzuki's lineup construction is hurting the offense.

No batting order is going to light up Dylan Cease, but most lineups are constructed using logic and player data. That can not be said about those posted by manager Kurt Suzuki at this time.

The reason the metric On Base Plus Slugging became so popular is those are the foundations of scoring runs. Get men on base then hit the ball hard. RBI is a team stat. A guy who hits 50 home runs will only get 50 RBI if his teammates are not on base.

So, having a player with a high career on base percentage hit behind Mike Trout instead of infront of Mike Trout is the opposite of trying to score runs. Beyond that, Nolan Schanuel's approach at the plate is clearly changing as his goal is to get hits rather than reach base, resulting in the lowest OBP in his career. This is limiting Mike Trout's RBI opportunities and reducing Schanuel's output.

The two need to be flipped in the batting order and a more powerful bat placed behind Trout depending on the handedness of the pitcher.

The Josh Lowe - Logan O'hoppe duo is killing the offense.

Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe (14) hits an RBI single against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

Josh Lowe has not been a good offensive player in years. Currently he is continuing the downhill slide that started in 2023. Currently hos OPS+ of 57 means he is 43% worse than the average MLB hitter. Lowe is also leading the team in strikeouts with 21 in his 21 games played.

Logan O'Hoppe is simply lost at the plate right now. He struck out 4 times last night and has 20 K's in his 22 games played but 7 of them have come in the last 3 days.

Having these two hitting back to back is really killing the Angels offense. Any men on base prior to this duo will remain there after they end the inning. This duo can not continue to hit back to back. In the case of Lowe, there is no logical reason to think he will reverse a 3 year steady decline. The team will need to have some hope O'Hoppe can rebound, though, as there are no other options in the organization.

Two steps to improving the offense.

Mar 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels outfielder Nelson Rada against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Step one is mentioned above. Put Mike Trout in more situations where he is hitting with runners on base. Currently teams have no reason to pitch to him as Schanuel can not make them pay.

Simply flipping Trout and Schanuel in the lineup would allow Schanuel to resume his normal offensive approach, get back to being a .355 on base percentage guy, and give Trout more opportunities to cash in runs.

Getting a real leadoff hitter would help as well. Zach Neto is more of a power bat than a table setter. Fortunately, the Angels have a better option in the wings. Nelson Rada is boasting a .410 on base percentage in AAA after reaching base safely over 50% of the time in the Cactus League.

A lineup of Rada, Schanuel, Trout gives the Angels greatest player to on base machines in front of him. It also rids the lineup of the overmatched Josh Lowe. That is a massive improvement on two fronts. This is a roster move that needs to be made right now to improve on both sides of the ball.

Sliding Neto's bat down the lineup creates a far deeper offense that is more balanced. As of now, pitchers can walk the 6th hitter with no fear and simply get to Lowe. That would not be the case once Lowe is removed.

On base plus slugging. By increasing the number of men on base for Trout, Soler, and Adell the Angels increase thier odds of scoring runs. It is not complicated. Neither is replacing a player who is hurting the club with one who can help. Let's see what the Angels do.