List of Los Angeles Angels seasons explained

This is a list of seasons completed by the Los Angeles Angels, also known as the California Angels from 1965 to 1996, the Anaheim Angels from 1997 to 2004, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2005 to 2015. They are a professional baseball franchise based in Anaheim, California. They play in the Western Division of Major League Baseball's (MLB) American League.

Established in 1961, the Angels played their first four seasons in the city of Los Angeles, California under two stadiums: Wrigley Field, the venue used for the Pacific Coast League team that the Angels named themselves after, and Dodger Stadium, which the Angels referred to as "Chavez Ravine". They moved to the city of Anaheim in 1966 while changing the name of the team to refer to the entire state of California while playing in Anaheim Stadium, where they play today (which is now called Angel Stadium). The Angels were created in 1960 as part of a boom in baseball coming to the state of California. They were the third California MLB team to play in the state but the first non-relocated team to play there. Gene Autry was the first owner of the franchise, having bought the rights in 1960. The inaugural season for the team resulted in seventy wins to 91 losses, which stands as the best winning percentage for an expansion MLB team. They would contend in parts of the 1960s, finishing 3rd twice in the decade but never finishing closer than ten games out of a pennant. The 1970s brought a number of miserable seasons, which included seven straight losing seasons from 1971 to 1977. However, the Angels had a few shining spots in that era, which included Nolan Ryan (who threw four no-hitters with the team). In 1979, the Angels won the AL West and reached the postseason for the first time ever. They lost to the Baltimore Orioles in four games, while Ryan departed Anaheim in free agency in the winter. The Angels won the AL West twice in the next decade but fell short of the World Series by one game each time.

In 1997, The Walt Disney Company bought ownership in the team. As such, the team name was changed to reflect the actual city the team played in while renovations were done for the stadium, which took corporate branding that referred to it as "Edison International Field of Anaheim", which stayed that way until 2003. Losing a one-game tiebreaker for the AL West in 1995 was the closest the Angels were to reaching the postseason in the 1990s. However, the Angels steadily grew talent in the next few years that soon made them a relative contender, done under manager Mike Scioscia. In 2002, the Angels went from losing 87 games to winning 99 to set a franchise record for wins at the time while making the postseason for the first time in sixteen years. They would roll to a World Series victory during the postseason, which included winning the final two games while facing elimination. Arte Moreno bought the team from Disney after the season ended. In the next twelve seasons, the Angels would reach the postseason six times. Despite seeing two players awarded the American League's Most Valuable Player award four times (2016, 2019, 2021, 2023) over the next couple of years, the Angels (all under Moreno's leadership as owner) have failed to reach the postseason since 2014 and have had eight straight losing seasons from 2016 to 2023, the worst stretch of losing seasons in franchise history.

The Angels in total have completed 63 seasons in Major League Baseball, qualifying for the postseason ten times with one World Series championship (2002). The Angels are the only team in all of MLB to have never lost 100 games in a season.^[1]

Table key

	American League Championship Series
	American League Division Series
	Cy Young Award
	Final position in league or division
	"Games Back" from first-place team
	Number of regular season losses
	Manager of the Year
	Most Valuable Player
	American League Rookie of the Year
	Each year is linked to an article about that particular MLB season
	Each year is linked to an article about that particular Angels season
	Number of regular season wins

Year by year

World Series champions †

AL champions *

Division champions (1969–present) ^

Wild card berth (1995–present) ¤

Season	Team	Level	League	Division	Finish	Wins	Losses	Win%	GB	Postseason	Awards
Los Angeles Angels
	1961	MLB	AL	—	8th	70	91	.435	38½	—	—
	1962	MLB	AL	—	3rd	86	76	.531	10	—	—
	1963	MLB	AL	—	9th	70	91	.435	34	—	—
	1964	MLB	AL	—	5th	82	80	.506	17	—	Dean Chance (CYA)^[2]
California Angels
	1965	MLB	AL	—	7th	75	87	.463	27	—	—
	1966	MLB	AL	—	6th	80	82	.494	18	—	—
	1967	MLB	AL	—	5th	84	77	.522	7½	—	—
	1968	MLB	AL	—	8th	67	95	.414	36	—	—
	1969	MLB	AL	West	3rd	71	91	.438	26	—	—
	1970	MLB	AL	West	3rd	86	76	.531	12	—	—
	1971	MLB	AL	West	4th	76	86	.469	25½	—	—
	1972	MLB	AL	West	5th	75	80	.484	18	—	—
	1973	MLB	AL	West	4th	79	83	.488	15	—	—
	1974	MLB	AL	West	6th	68	94	.420	22	—	—
	1975	MLB	AL	West	6th	72	89	.447	25½	—	—
	1976	MLB	AL	West	4th	76	86	.469	14	—	—
	1977	MLB	AL	West	5th	74	88	.457	28	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	2nd	87	75	.537	5	—	—
	1979	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	88	74	.543	—	Lost ALCS (Orioles) 3–1^[3]	Don Baylor (MVP)^[4]
	1980	MLB	AL	West	6th	65	95	.406	31	—	—
	1981	MLB	AL	West	4th	31	29	.517	—	—	—
	7th				20	30	.400	—
	1982	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	93	69	.574	—	Lost ALCS (Brewers) 3–2^[5]	—
	1983	MLB	AL	West	5th	70	92	.432	29	—	—
	1984	MLB	AL	West	2nd	81	81	.500	3	—	—
	1985	MLB	AL	West	2nd	90	72	.556	1	—	—
	1986	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	92	70	.568	—	Lost ALCS (Red Sox) 4–3^[6]	—
	1987	MLB	AL	West	6th	75	87	.463	10	—	—
	1988	MLB	AL	West	4th	75	87	.463	29	—	—
	1989	MLB	AL	West	3rd	91	71	.562	8	—	—
	1990	MLB	AL	West	4th	80	82	.494	23	—	—
	1991	MLB	AL	West	7th	81	81	.500	14	—	—
	1992	MLB	AL	West	5th	72	90	.444	24	—	—
	1993	MLB	AL	West	5th	71	91	.438	23	—	Tim Salmon (ROY)^[7]
	1994	MLB	AL	West	4th	47	68	.409	5½	—	—
	1995	MLB	AL	West	2nd	78	67	.538	1	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	4th	70	91	.435	19½	—	—
Anaheim Angels
	1997	MLB	AL	West	2nd	84	78	.519	6	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	2nd	85	77	.525	3	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	4th	70	92	.432	25	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	3rd	82	80	.506	9½	—	—
	2001	MLB	AL	West	3rd	75	87	.463	41	—	—
		MLB †	AL *	West	2nd ¤	99	63	.611	4	Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–1 Won ALCS (Twins) 4–1 Won World Series (Giants) 4–3^[8] †	Mike Scioscia (MOY)^[9]
	2003	MLB	AL	West	3rd	77	85	.475	19	—	—
	2004	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	92	70	.568	—	Lost ALDS (Red Sox) 3–0^[10]	Vladimir Guerrero (MVP)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
	2005	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	95	67	.586	—	Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–2 Lost ALCS (White Sox) 4–1^[11]	Bartolo Colón (CYA)
	2006	MLB	AL	West	2nd	89	73	.549	4	—	—
	2007	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	94	68	.580	—	Lost ALDS (Red Sox) 3–0^[12]	—
	2008	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	100	62	.617	—	Lost ALDS (Red Sox) 3–1^[13]	—
	2009	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	97	65	.599	—	Won ALDS (Red Sox) 3–0 Lost ALCS (Yankees) 4–2^[14]	Mike Scioscia (MOY)
		MLB	AL	West	3rd	80	82	.494	10	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	2nd	86	76	.531	10	—	—
		MLB	AL	West	3rd	89	73	.549	5	—	Mike Trout (ROY)
	2013	MLB	AL	West	3rd	78	84	.481	18	—	—
	2014	MLB	AL	West ^	1st	98	64	.605	—	Lost ALDS (Royals) 3–0	Mike Trout (MVP)
	2015	MLB	AL	West	3rd	85	77	.525	3	—	—
Los Angeles Angels
	2016	MLB	AL	West	4th	74	88	.457	21	—	Mike Trout (MVP)
	2017	MLB	AL	West	2nd	80	82	.494	21	—	—
	2018	MLB	AL	West	4th	80	82	.494	23	—	Shohei Ohtani (ROY)
	2019	MLB	AL	West	4th	72	90	.444	35	—	Mike Trout (MVP)
	2020	MLB	AL	West	3rd	26	34	.433	10	—
	2021	MLB	AL	West	4th	77	85	.475	18	—	Shohei Ohtani (MVP)
	2022	MLB	AL	West	3rd	73	89	.451	33	—
	2023	MLB	AL	West	4th	73	89	.451	17	—	Shohei Ohtani (MVP)
Totals	Wins	Losses	Win%
4,958	5,016		All-time regular season record (1961–2023)
27	37		All-time postseason record
4,985	5,053		All-time regular and postseason record

Record by decade

The following table describes the Angels' MLB win–loss record by decade.

Decade	Wins	Losses	Pct
1960s	685	770	.471
1970s	781	831	.484
1980s	783	783	.500
1990s	738	817	.475
2000s	900	720	.556
2010s	822	798	.507
2020s	249	297	.456
All-time	4958	5016	.497

These statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim History & Encyclopedia,.^[15]

Postseason appearances

Year	Wild Card Game/Series	LDS	LCS	World Series
1979	Baltimore Orioles
1982	Milwaukee Brewers
1986	Boston Red Sox
2002	New York Yankees		Minnesota Twins		San Francisco Giants
2004	Boston Red Sox
2005	New York Yankees		Chicago White Sox
2007	Boston Red Sox
2008	Boston Red Sox
2009	Boston Red Sox		New York Yankees
2014	Kansas City Royals

Postseason record by year

The Angels have made the postseason ten times in their history, with their first being in 1979 and the most recent being in 2014.

Year	Finish	Round	Opponent	Result
	American League West Champions	ALCS	Baltimore Orioles	Lost	1	3
	American League West Champions	ALCS	Milwaukee Brewers	Lost	2	3
	American League West Champions	ALCS	Boston Red Sox	Lost	3	4
	World Series Champions	ALDS	New York Yankees	Won	3	1
		ALCS	Minnesota Twins	Won	4	1
		World Series	San Francisco Giants	Won	4	3
	American League West Champions	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Lost	0	3
	American League West Champions	ALDS	New York Yankees	Won	3	2
		ALCS	Chicago White Sox	Lost	1	4
	American League West Champions	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Lost	0	3
	American League West Champions	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Lost	1	3
	American League West Champions	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Won	3	0
		ALCS	New York Yankees	Lost	2	4
	American League West Champions	ALDS	Kansas City Royals	Lost	0	3
10	Totals			5–9	27	37

Notes

• This is determined by calculating the difference in wins plus the difference in losses divided by two.
• For lists of all American League pennant winners, see American League pennant winners 1901–68 and American League Championship Series.
• Half-game increments are possible because games can be cancelled due to rain. If a postponed game is the last of the season between two teams in one of their stadiums, it may not be made up if it does not affect the playoff race.^[16]
• In 1969, the American League split into East and West divisions.^[17]
• The 1972 Major League Baseball strike forced the cancellation of the Angels' first seven games of the season.^[18]
• The 1981 Major League Baseball strike caused the season to be split into two halves.^[18]
• The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, which started on August 12, led to the cancellation of the playoffs and World Series.^[19] As a result of the abbreviated season, MLB did not officially award division championships.^[20]
• The 1994 MLB strike lasted until April 2, 1995, causing the shortening of the 1995 season to 144 games.^[18]

External links

• Angels Year-By-Year Results at MLB.com
• Angels Postseason Results at MLB.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Best 100-Loss Team in Modern Baseball History .
2. Web site: Cy Young Award winners . Major League Baseball . 2010-09-12 .
3. Web site: 1979 AL Championship Series . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
4. Web site: Most Valuable Player winners . Major League Baseball . 2010-09-12 .
5. Web site: 1982 AL Championship Series . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
6. Web site: 1986 AL Championship Series . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
7. Web site: Rookie of the Year winners . Major League Baseball . 2010-09-12 .
8. Web site: 2002 Anaheim Angels Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
9. Web site: Manager of the Year winners . Major League Baseball . 2010-09-12 .
10. Web site: 2004 Anaheim Angels . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
11. Web site: 2005 Anaheim Angels Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
12. Web site: 2007 AL Division Series . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
13. Web site: 2008 AL Division Series . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
14. Web site: 2009 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics . Baseball-Reference . 2010-09-12 .
15. Web site: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim History & Encyclopedia . Baseball-Reference.com . 2016-10-18 .
16. News: Bodley . Hal . Ties in baseball called out by rules committee . USA Today . 2007-02-18 . 2010-09-12 .
17. Leggett . William . One Hundred And One . . 1969-04-14 . 2010-09-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120202031410/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082286/index.htm . 2012-02-02 .
18. Web site: Baseball stoppages date back to 1972 . ESPN. Associated Press . 2002-08-29 . 2010-09-12 .
19. Web site: Strike looms large over All-Star Game . CNN Sports Illustrated. Associated Press . 2002-07-07 . 2010-09-12 .
20. News: Newhan . Ross . Ross Newhan . A Season Without Titles – Baseball: Players will be honored, but there will be no divisional champions because of the shortened schedule . . 1994-10-06 . 2010-09-12 .