In May, the Los Angeles Angels looked destined for another disappointing season, staring down a daunting series against the MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers. At the time, trade rumors swirled around their top stars, and the team lingered near the bottom of the standings. But that series flipped the script — a stunning sweep of the Dodgers breathed new life into the Angels’ season, transforming them from potential sellers to a team flirting with .500 and possibly buying at the deadline.
Now, history may be on the verge of repeating itself. After a dominant, start-to-finish victory to open the Freeway Series at Dodger Stadium, the Halos are hoping to rekindle that same spark to mount another late-season push.
While MLB’s social media may have spotlighted Shohei Ohtani’s homer — which only trimmed the Angels’ lead to six — the real story was the Halos’ relentless performance. Zach Neto set the tone immediately, crushing a solo shot on the first pitch he saw, and the Angels never looked back. The win was a collective effort, the kind that makes it hard for fans to fully give up on the team.
With Monday’s win, the Angels sit five games under .500 and six back in the Wild Card race, needing to leapfrog four teams, including a struggling Yankees squad. The formula is simple: another winning streak. On paper, the Dodgers should handle the Angels, but the rivalry seems to bring out the best in them. If they can pull off another sweep, favorable matchups against the Athletics and Reds could give them the momentum they need.
Rotation changes could also work in their favor, with Jack Kochanowicz and possibly Tyler Anderson out, reducing the number of “scheduled losses” on the calendar.
The Angels may not look like a playoff team on paper, but this season, they’ve owned the Dodgers. If they can turn this rivalry dominance into a sustained run, Dodger Stadium might not be the only Los Angeles ballpark hosting playoff baseball come October.
