While the team hasn’t enjoyed a lot of success with them, the Los Angeles Angels have a pair of special talents in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Their skills are not lost on their teammates.
Taylor Ward enjoyed a breakout season for the Angels in 2022. He hit 23 home runs and slashed at .281/.360/.473. He was recently interviewed by Dan Plesac and Greg Amsinger of the MLB Network. The question of his teammates came up.
Pleasac noted to Ward that “A lot of guys go their entire career and don’t get to see great players. You have two in Ohtani and Trout.” He then asked Ward, “Do you just marvel at what they do?”
Ward had an honest reply.
“Yeah, I do. It’s unbelievable. Watching both of them take batting practice the other day was exceptional. It was so cool to stand there and watch them just do their thing. I don’t think anyone hits a baseball like those two, in the game. So, to be able to be this close and have a front-row seat to it, pretty lucky.”
Taylor Ward discusses what it's like playing with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani every day and shares some of his "swing thoughts" 📝@Angels | @Plesac19 | #SpringTraining | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/uFODu9BOoB
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 2, 2023
Trout has emerged as one of the greatest, most decorated players not only of this era, but any era. He’s a 10-time All-Star, won three American League MVP Awards, was the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and won nine Silver Sluggers. From 2012-2022, Trout has only finished outside of Top-8 in AL MVP voting once.
Ohtani, meanwhile, is maybe the most unique talent in MLB history. He’s also won a Rookie of the Year Award and earned the AL MVP once. Ohtani is also a two-time All-Star, has a Silver Slugger Award and of course, is also a top-tier pitcher.
Amazingly, the Angels have had minimal team success. Los Angeles has reached the playoffs only once in Trout’s career and never in Ohtani’s. Furthermore, the Angels haven’t even experienced a winning record since 2015, three years before Ohtani’s rookie season.
