The Los Angeles Angels were faced with high stakes at the MLB trade deadline. With Shohei Ohtani set to become a free agent at the end of the season and expressing a desire to win, the Angels made the decision to keep him and make a push for his first postseason appearance. The question now is whether the team is better positioned to make the playoffs with Ohtani and the injured Mike Trout. Currently, the Angels have a record of 56-51 and would need to improve to make the postseason.

One area of concern for the Angels is their pitching staff. With Ohtani excelling on the hitting side, the team has struggled to prevent runs. The addition of Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox was a costly one, with two of the Angels’ top prospects being traded away. Giolito’s performance has been inconsistent and he hasn’t returned to his previous level of play. While the addition of Giolito provides insurance against injuries, the Angels have yet to find a true ace or No. 2 starter to complement Ohtani.

Injuries have also plagued the Angels’ offense, which has largely relied on Ohtani and Trout. Other players have been a mix of young prospects and journeyman veterans. In an effort to address these issues, the Angels acquired former players, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. Cron will provide stability at first base, while Grichuk can fill in for the injured Taylor Ward. These acquisitions, along with earlier trade acquisition Mike Moustakas, have improved the team’s lineup and overall major-league ability.

To determine if the Angels are better positioned to make the playoffs, a comparison with their AL wild-card competitors is necessary. Currently, the Texas Rangers are leading the AL West, while the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays hold the two wild-card spots. The Boston Red Sox are 2.5 games behind the Blue Jays, with the Angels and Seattle Mariners just behind. Some of these teams made significant upgrades to their pitching staff, while others stood pat at the deadline.

Looking at the Angels’ remaining schedule, they will face tough competition against the Rangers, Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays. They also have key opportunities to pick up wins against the Mariners and Oakland A’s. Overall, FanGraphs projects the Angels to have the toughest remaining schedule in the AL.

In conclusion, while the Angels have made some improvements to their pitching staff and lineup, it remains to be seen if they are significantly better positioned to make the playoffs. They face tough competition and have a challenging schedule ahead. The success of their push for the postseason will depend on the performance of their pitching staff, the health of their key players, and how they fare against their competitors.