The Los Angeles Angels had entered 2025 with hope and optimism. They thought that Ron Washington might help break the curse of the team’s decade-long postseason drought. But the reality has come to bite back. Right now, they sit fifth in the AL West and have extended their playoff-less streak to about 11 seasons. They have Mike Trout, one of the best names in the sport—yet he has reached the postseason just once!

That number just puts things into perspective—how talent is simply getting wasted in LA. Hence, frustration is mounting. And the calls and alarms for Ron Washington to leave have been making the rounds. And the manager’s health has only complicated the picture. The 73-year-old manager underwent a quadruple bypass surgery earlier this season. He hopes to get back in 2026, but insiders are saying that the Angels are considering a managerial shakeup.

Rumors have come about that Albert Pujols, fresh off managing in the Dominican Winter League and leading the Dominican Republic team in the WBC, could be in the picture. And this has the fans buzzing. And amidst the season’s mess-up and the managerial issue, there is news coming that a veteran can retire after this season.

According to Bob Nightengale, Kyle Hendricks, the 34-year-old who helped the Cubs get the 2016 World Series, plans to retire after this season. Bob Nightingale mentions “Angels starter Kyle Hendricks, who helped lead the Chicago Cubs to the 2016 World Series championship, has informed friends that he expects to retire after the season.” Hendricks’ journey with the Angels has been nothing less than a rollercoaster. He struggled early, posting a 6.95 ERA and even getting removed from the Cubs rotation last year. But he found his footing in September.

A seven-inning three-hit shutout against the Colorado Rockies was reel-worthy. It lowered Kyle Hendricks ERA to 4.79 over 159.2 innings. He is projected for one final start against the Astros this season. About his career, Hendricks had said previously, ““From the moment you get up (to the majors), man, anytime you struggle, those thoughts are gonna be in your head. It’s the nature of the game. You’re gonna have those negative thoughts. It’s how you get past them.” Well, he thanked his teammates and coaches for their support.

When the Angels had signed him this off-season, Perry Minasian had said tweaks to his delivery might have helped him return to his dominant former self. But the right-hander’s decision to retire shows for sure the toll a long, hard career takes. For the Angels, though, his retirement is only part of the puzzle. They have many more things to figure out because otherwise they are just wasting Mike Trout’s potential there.

Mike Trout gives a silver lining amidst the Angels’ tough season

It sure has been a tough season for the Los Angeles Angels and Mike Trout. But he found a silver lining on Saturday. The three-time AL MVP and 11-time all-star hit his 400th career home run. That milestone came in the eighth inning of a 3-0 win over the Rockies, which snapped LA from their nasty eight-game losing streak. Trout’s 485-foot shot off Jaden Hill was a no-brainer. It marked the 10th-longest homer in Coors Field history since Statcast even began tracking it in 2015.

Trout also talked about his struggles, saying, “I enjoy playing this game. Obviously, there’s going to be ups and downs. That’s part of it. It’s always going to be a grind. That’s what I love about it. You get humbled a little bit when you feel like you go out there and you have so much success, and then you go through rough stretches. That’s what I’ve been going through. It’s good to finally get this milestone.” After the game, he handed the fan who had caught the ball three autographed bats, along with two signed balls, and even played a short catch game. For sure, it’s a core memory for the child.

With that, Trout joined elite company because he became the 59th player in MLB history with 400 home runs. And the only third to do so with the Angels. He also became the fifth player to reach 400 homers and 200 stolen bases by the age of 33. And he joined greats like Willie Mays, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez by doing so. For a player of his caliber, it is strange, but his average of .229, 22 homers, and 59 RBIs are his most in three years, given that injury had ruined Trout’s last two seasons. 

And by no means has it been easy on Trout. And for all those Angels watching, his historic milestone is a bittersweet moment. It’s a reminder of his greatness lost in the team’s disappointing season. The team simply needs to come through for him.