Angels Mark Unfortunate Milestone with First 100-Loss Season

The Los Angeles Angels concluded a challenging season with a historic mark, losing 7-3 to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. With this defeat, the Angels (62-100) experienced their first 100-loss season, breaking a 65-year record as the last MLB franchise to avoid such a mark.

This loss was particularly significant, as it placed all 30 MLB teams in the category of franchises with triple-digit loss seasons. For first-year manager Kurt Suzuki, the final game was the culmination of an exhausting campaign, which surpassed the earlier low of 63-99 under Ron Washington in 2024.

Amidst the drama, franchise star Mike Trout watched the game from the dugout during a scheduled day off. The young Angels players fought to prevent hitting this unfortunate milestone, with enthusiasm still visible from shortstop Zach Neto’s aspirations earlier in the week. Despite their efforts, a 5-4 record in their final nine games wasn’t enough to avoid the fate awaiting them on Sunday.

The game didn’t go in the Angels’ favor, as former Mariner Yusei Kikuchi, now with the Angels, allowed three runs over five innings against his former team. Bryce Teodosio managed to reduce the deficit to 3-1 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. However, Seattle’s quick response with a throwing error and Randy Arozarena’s two-run double widened the gap, beyond the Angels’ reach.

While Jose Siri added a late solo home run, the season ended with Dominic Canzone catching Christian Moore’s fly ball for the final out. Earlier this year, GM Perry Minasian was fired, and interim GM John Mozeliak made significant roster changes by trading fan favorites like Taylor Ward and Jo Adell to acquire new prospects. Suzuki was left to work with a youthful core for the remainder of the season.

A glimmer of change comes with the end of Arte Moreno’s tenure as the Angels’ owner, as the franchise was sold to Stan Kroenke’s group for a record $4 billion. Kroenke, known for building championship-winning teams, offers the promise of a new vision for the future, bringing hope to a fanbase at its lowest historical point.