Angels Fans Lose Hope as Optimism Plummets to 5.7% for 2026 Season

A recent survey from The Athletic shows the Angels fanbase is the second-least optimistic in MLB about their team's future.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 8:38pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented baseball game or match, with sharp, overlapping shapes and planes representing the Angels' disjointed path forward.The Angels' fanbase faces a fractured future as the team's on-field struggles and lack of direction leave little hope for a return to glory.Los Angeles Today

According to a poll conducted by The Athletic, only 5.7% of Los Angeles Angels fans are optimistic about the team's prospects heading into the 2026 MLB season. This represents a dramatic decline from previous years, with optimism dropping from 71.4% in 2022 to just 15.6% in 2023 after the departure of superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Angels' poor performance, lack of prospect depth, and uncertain future have left the fanbase feeling increasingly pessimistic about the franchise's direction.

Why it matters

The Angels' plummeting fan optimism reflects the team's broader struggles, from front office decisions to on-field performance. As the franchise faces an uncertain future, the dwindling hope among its loyal supporters underscores the urgency for the organization to make significant changes to rebuild trust and competitiveness.

The details

The Athletic's survey ranked the Angels 29th out of 30 MLB teams in terms of fan optimism for 2026, ahead of only the Minnesota Twins. This represents a dramatic drop from 2022, when the Angels had a 71.4% optimism score, and even 2023, when Shohei Ohtani's presence buoyed the fanbase's outlook to 81.1%. However, Ohtani's departure for the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2023 season crushed Angels fans' hopes, leading to just 15.6% optimism in 2024 and 11.5% in 2025. Now, with the team's prospect depth among the worst in baseball and no clear path to a postseason return, the fanbase's optimism has plummeted to a mere 5.7% heading into 2026.

  • In 2022, the Angels had a 71.4% optimism score.
  • In 2023, the Angels' optimism score rose to 81.1% due to Shohei Ohtani's presence.
  • After Ohtani left for the Dodgers following the 2023 season, the Angels' optimism dropped to 15.6% in 2024.
  • In 2025, the Angels' optimism score fell further to 11.5%.
  • In the latest 2026 survey, the Angels' optimism score has plummeted to just 5.7%.

The players

Shohei Ohtani

A former superstar player for the Los Angeles Angels who left the team to join the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2023 season, contributing to a significant decline in fan optimism.

Mike Trout

A veteran player for the Los Angeles Angels who is nearing the end of his playing days, leaving the team without a clear superstar to replace him and further contributing to the fanbase's pessimism.

Arte Moreno

The owner of the Los Angeles Angels, whose spending decisions and management of the team have been criticized by fans and seen as a major factor in the team's struggles.

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What they’re saying

“There's very little hope for Angels fans, with the only solace potentially in the form of a Trout resurgence this season. But, even that doesn't help make the future of the franchise look any better than it does now.”

— Stephen J. Nesbitt, Reporter

What’s next

The Angels' front office will need to make significant changes and investments to rebuild the team's roster and farm system in order to restore fan optimism and put the franchise on a path to success.

The takeaway

The dramatic decline in Angels fan optimism reflects the team's broader struggles, from poor front office decisions to a lack of on-field success and star power. Rebuilding trust with the fanbase will require the Angels to make bold moves to improve the team's long-term outlook and competitiveness.