The Los Angeles Angels are turning heads early in the 2026 season with a 2-0 start, highlighted by a commanding 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday. This marks the Angels' best opening since 2007, breaking a 19-year streak that had persisted throughout the illustrious career of franchise icon Mike Trout. Since being drafted in 2009, Trout, a three-time MVP, has endured a decade of losing seasons and hasn't seen playoff action since 2014.
Trout's performance has been nothing short of spectacular. He's gone 4-for-6 with two homers and four walks over 10 plate appearances, boasting a .667 batting average and an .800 on-base percentage.
His solo shot in the fifth inning of Friday's game marked the first time in his 16-year career that he's homered in each of the first two games of a season. Adding to his impressive start, Trout also stole a base and notched three hits in the second game.
The Angels' offense has been further bolstered by Josh Lowe, who was acquired in a January trade. Lowe delivered a crucial 2-for-4 performance, including a double and a three-run homer that broke a 1-1 tie in the second inning. Zach Neto also made his presence felt with a double and a ninth-inning homer, racking up two extra-base hits in the game.
On the mound, Yusei Kikuchi put in a solid effort, allowing two earned runs on eight hits over 4⅓ innings. He struck out three and walked one, throwing a total of 86 pitches.
The Angels' bullpen has been lights out, combining for 7⅔ scoreless innings across the first two games. In Friday's win, Chase Silseth, Ryan Zeferjahn, Sam Bachman, and Jordan Romano shut down the Astros over the final 4⅔ innings.
Zeferjahn was particularly impressive, retiring all six batters he faced, while Bachman struck out three.
The Angels aim to maintain their momentum as they head into game three of the four-game series against the Astros on Saturday.