Angels' Improved On-Base Percentage Sustainable?

Early offensive turnaround has Angels among MLB's on-base leaders, but strikeout issues linger.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:49pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game broken down into overlapping angular shapes and planes, capturing the dynamic motion and energy of the sport.The Angels' revamped offensive approach has boosted their on-base percentage, but their high strikeout rate remains a concern.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Angels had the third-worst on-base percentage in Major League Baseball last season, but through 14 games in 2026, they've improved to a league-average .311 OBP while still ranking third in home runs. The team's batting average is low, but there are reasons to believe the OBP gains could be sustainable if they can cut down on strikeouts.

Why it matters

The Angels' offensive struggles were a major factor in their 90-loss season in 2025. Improving the team's ability to get on base while maintaining power could be a recipe for more runs and wins in 2026, but the lingering strikeout issues remain a concern.

The details

Last year, the Angels had the third-worst on-base percentage in MLB due to a team-record number of strikeouts. This year, they've improved to a .311 OBP, which ties them for 16th in the league. Their .207 team batting average is low, but there are signs that could improve, with players like Nolan Schanuel and Logan O'Hoppe likely to see their OBPs rise. However, the Angels are again leading the league in strikeouts, which could cap their on-base gains.

  • Through 14 games in the 2026 MLB season

The players

Nolan Schanuel

An Angels player whose .268 on-base percentage is expected to improve over time.

Logan O'Hoppe

An Angels player whose .220 on-base percentage is also expected to rise as he shakes off early-season struggles.

Mike Trout

The Angels' star outfielder who may have been part of the reason Nolan Schanuel was pressing early on.

Josh Lowe

An Angels outfielder whose high strikeout rate (16 K's) could lead the team to try a new look in the outfield later this season.

Nelson Rada

A potential new leadoff hitter for the Angels who could help improve the team's on-base percentage and defense.

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What they’re saying

“Schanuel may have been pressing due to hitting behind Mike Trout, which was bad lineup construction.”

— Jeff Joiner, Author

“Logan O'Hoppe has always been streaky.”

— Jeff Joiner, Author

What’s next

The Angels will need to continue finding ways to cut down on their high strikeout rate if they want their improved on-base percentage to be sustainable throughout the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The Angels' early offensive turnaround, with an improved on-base percentage while still ranking near the top of the league in home runs, provides hope that their 90-loss season in 2025 could be an outlier. However, their continued struggles with strikeouts remain a concern that could cap the team's offensive ceiling if not addressed.