Top 5 Angels Performers From The First Half

Other than Ohtani, who has stood out for the Angels?

The 2023 season for the Angels has been up and down. For a while, they looked like they were ready to take that next step towards getting back to the postseason but over the last few weeks, everything has fallen off the rails. The team has seen regression all over the place, in part due to multiple injuries, but they have dropped down in the standings.

However, the team has still seen many positives and still finds themselves in contention. Despite all the odds against them right now, they've had multiple guys step up and help the team out. Here are the top five performers from the first half of the season for the Angels.

5. Mike Trout

It’s a little weird to see Trout down this low on the teams’ top performers list but that is where we are at this point in the year. He has had a good season so far, hitting .263 with 18 home runs and 44 runs batted in but it feels like an off year due to his standards. The star outfielder will miss an extender period of time once the All-Star break concludes as he deals with a fractured hamate, but the team is hopeful that he can return at some point this year. Trout still remains a very effective player for the Angels as he makes this list.

Mike Trout passes Joe DiMaggio on the all-time home run list with his 362nd 🙌pic.twitter.com/a31WvAVsS9

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 25, 2023

4. Brandon Drury

Drury has been one of the better signings from the offseason and he has helped the Angels get to where they are. On the year, he is hitting .277 with 14 home runs and 45 runs batted in. He currently is on the injured list but should be returning shortly to help this team out. His bat in the lineup alongside Trout and Shohei Ohtani has been great to see and he has been one of the more consistent players for the Angels. 

Brandon Drury adds on with a solo home run. It's his eighth home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/Gmsjw1plAb

— Sarah Valenzuela (@Sarah_IsabelVee) May 27, 2023

3. Carlos Estévez

The season that Estévez is having may be going unnoticed a little due to the Angels record. He holds an ERA of just 1.80 and is perfect in his save opportunities. His 21-21 save record this season has been a big reason as to why the Angels have seen success. He is a weapon out of the bullpen for this squad and it helps land him as a top performer for the Angels. 

Another Halo is heading to Seattle! 😇@carlosestevez28 has been selected to the 2023 A.L. All-Star team, marking his first career All-Star selection! pic.twitter.com/t4xGPYAGgW

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) July 7, 2023

2. Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher

It had to be Ohtani at the top of this list. He has been everything and more for the Angels this season. But as a pitcher, he has been special. He holds and ERA of 3.32 with 132 strikeouts over 100.1 innings pitched. His domination on the mound while also hitting is unlike anything that we've really seen and it has landed him with another All-Star game appearance. 

Sho Strikeout 5✅
Shohei Ohtani dishes out strikeout number 5 with a 97.1 MPH 4-seam fastball during the 5th inning against Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres at Petco.⚔️
Credit: Ballys#大谷翔平 #Ohtani #Angels #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/KL9GOdF4zO

— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) July 5, 2023

1. Shohei Ohtani, the hitter 

Ohtani is so good that I had to split him up into two separate performers. His two-way ability makes him special and his free agency this coming winter will be one for the ages. But as he goes through the season, he is the current frontrunner for the American League MVP award. He's been so great that you could argue that if you just looked at his hitting for the year, he would still win. On the season, he holds a batting average of .302 with 32 home runs and 71 runs batted in. Ohtani is a class above everyone else and is the biggest show in baseball. 

SHOHEI OHTANI HITS HOME RUN #32 BEFORE THE ALL-STAR BREAK!!

pic.twitter.com/7rlS4Dmj6E

— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) July 9, 2023