# Angels–Rangers rivalry

The Angels–Rangers rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) divisional rivalry played between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers as both teams play in the American League West Division. The rivalry has been said to have developed over a domination in the division between the two teams, and also in recent years more animosity between the two teams due to multiple players who have played for both, including Nolan Ryan, Mike Napoli, Darren Oliver, Vladimir Guerrero, C. J. Wilson, and Josh Hamilton. Both teams often fought for control of the division, primarily during the 2000s and 2010s though both teams entered the 2020s fighting for relevance, with the Angels not having made the playoffs since 2014, and the Rangers missing from 2017 to 2022. The Angels and Rangers have each pitched a perfect game against each other, making them the only pair of MLB teams to have done so. Mike Witt pitched a perfect game for the Angels against the Rangers in 1984 at Arlington Stadium and Kenny Rogers for the Rangers against the Angels in 1994. Both teams have yet to face each other in the postseason, the Angels currently lead the series all time 513–493.

## History

When the original Washington Senators announced their move to Minnesota to become the Twins in 1961, Major League Baseball decided to expand a year earlier than planned to stave off the twin threats of competition from the proposed Continental League and loss of its exemption from the Sherman Antitrust Act. As part of the expansion, the American League added two expansion teams for the 1961 season–the Los Angeles Angels and a new Washington Senators team. The new Senators and Angels began competing to fill their rosters with American League players in an expansion draft. Following an apathetic fan response in Washington, owner Bob Short would relocate the Rangers to Arlington in 1972, while the Angels managed to move into a new ballpark in 1966. Both teams struggled mightily in their first 2 decades as expansion teams, though both would tie for second place in 1978. The Angels would not appear in the postseason until 1979, while the Rangers would not make a postseason appearance until 1996. Both teams were tied for second place of the division in 1998, however; the Angels would lose 2/4 games against the Athletics and find themselves swept by the Rangers for the final two games of the season, eliminating them from playoff contention. The Rangers would find themselves swept in both 1998 and 1999 by the Yankees, then fail to make a playoff appearance from 2000 to 2010, eventually making back-to-back appearances in both the 2010, and 2011 World Series. Meanwhile, the Angels managed a shocking appearance in the 2002 World Series, beating the San Francisco Giants and securing the franchise's first and only World Series title, though they would begin to struggle mightily under new owner Arte Moreno as the team found themselves losing three times to the Boston Red Sox in 2004, 2007, and 2008. Though the Angels would also manage an appearance in the 2009 ALCS, they would fall to the Yankees in six games. In 2012, then-Angels' pitcher C.J. Wilson played a practical joke on his former Rangers teammate Mike Napoli by tweeting his phone number. Enraged, Napoli began to exchange words with Wilson during the pregame warmups on May 19. The feuds go back to two incidents between Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy and Rangers catcher Gerald Laird trading insults, leading to benches clearing in a brawl between both teams. The Rangers managed two more appearances in the ALDS, but lost both times to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Angels have not posted a winning season since they appeared in the 2014 ALDS in which they were swept by the Kansas City Royals, meanwhile the Rangers managed a return to the postseason in 2023 after seven years out of contention. In 2023, the Rangers won their first World Series, ending a 63-year drought total and 52 years in North Texas.

## Season-by-season results

Angels vs. Rangers Season-by-Season Results :
1960s (Senators, 80–76)
SeasonSeason seriesat Los Angeles/California Angelsat Washington SenatorsOverall seriesNotes
1961
Angels
10‍–‍8
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Senators, 5‍–‍4
Angels 6‍–‍3
First season for Angels and this edition of Senators
1962
Angels
11‍–‍7
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Angels 21‍–‍15
Senators open District of Columbia Stadium
1963
Tie
9‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Senators, 6‍–‍3
Angels 30‍–‍24
1964
Angels
10‍–‍8
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Senators, 5‍–‍4
Angels 40‍–‍32
1965
Senators
12‍–‍6
Senators, 6‍–‍3
Senators, 6‍–‍3
Angels 46‍–‍44
Angels rename to "California Angels" with a month of the season remaining
1966
Senators
11‍–‍7
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Senators, 7‍–‍2
Senators 55‍–‍53
Angels relocate to Anaheim and open Angel Stadium
1967
Senators
12‍–‍6
Senators, 5‍–‍4
Senators, 7‍–‍2
Senators 67‍–‍59
1968
Angels
12‍–‍6
Angels, 7‍–‍2
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Senators 73‍–‍71
1969
Senators
7‍–‍5
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Senators, 4‍–‍2
Senators 80‍–‍76 :
1970s (Senators/Rangers, 79–77)
SeasonSeason seriesat California Angelsat Washington Senators/Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
1970
Angels
7‍–‍5
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Senators 85‍–‍83
1971
Senators
8‍–‍4
Senators, 4‍–‍2
Senators, 4‍–‍2
Senators 93‍–‍87
1972
Angels
10‍–‍7
Angels, 6‍–‍2
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Rangers 100‍–‍97
Senators relocate to Arlington, Texas and rebrand as the "Texas Rangers" and play at Arlington Stadium
1973
Angels
11‍–‍7
Angels, 7‍–‍2
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Angels 108‍–‍107
1974
Tie
9‍–‍9
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Angels 117‍–‍116
1975
Tie
9‍–‍9
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Angels 126‍–‍125
1976
Angels
12‍–‍6
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Angels 138‍–‍131
1977
Rangers
10‍–‍5
Tie, 4‍–‍4
Rangers, 6‍–‍1
Angels 143‍–‍141
AL expansion reduces season series to 15 meetings per year
1978
Rangers
10‍–‍5
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 7‍–‍1
Rangers 151‍–‍148
1979
Rangers
8‍–‍5
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 5‍–‍1
Rangers 159‍–‍153 :
1980s (Angels, 68–55)
SeasonSeason seriesat California Angelsat Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
1980
Angels
11‍–‍2
Angels, 5‍–‍1
Angels, 6‍–‍1
Angels 164‍–‍161
1981
Rangers
4‍–‍2
Rangers, 2‍–‍1
Rangers, 2‍–‍1
Angels 166‍–‍165
Strike-shortened season
1982
Angels
8‍–‍5
Angels, 5‍–‍1
Rangers, 4‍–‍3
Angels 174‍–‍170
1983
Rangers
7‍–‍6
Rangers, 4‍–‍3
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels 180‍–‍177
1984
Rangers
8‍–‍5
Rangers, 5‍–‍1
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Tie 185‍–‍185
Angels' Mike Witt pitches a perfect game against the Rangers
1985
Angels
9‍–‍4
Angels, 5‍–‍2
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels 194‍–‍189
1986
Angels
8‍–‍5
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Angels 202‍–‍194
1987
Rangers
8‍–‍5
Rangers, 5‍–‍2
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels 207‍–‍202
1988
Angels
8‍–‍5
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Angels 215‍–‍207
1989
Rangers
7‍–‍6
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Angels 221‍–‍214 :
1990s (Angels, 63–61)
SeasonSeason seriesat California/Anaheim Angelsat Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
1990
Angels
8‍–‍5
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Angels 229‍–‍219
1991
Rangers
8‍–‍5
Rangers, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Angels 234‍–‍227
1992
Angels
9‍–‍4
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels, 5‍–‍2
Angels 243‍–‍231
1993
Rangers
7‍–‍6
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Angels 249‍–‍238
1994
Angels
6‍–‍4
Angels, 2‍–‍1
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Angels 255‍–‍242
Rangers open The Ballpark in Arlington. Rangers' Kenny Rogers' perfect game. Strike-shortened season. The strike cancels the entire postseason.
1995
Rangers
7‍–‍6
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Angels 261‍–‍249
1996
Rangers
9‍–‍4
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Rangers, 5‍–‍2
Angels 265‍–‍258
1997
Angels
8‍–‍4
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels, 5‍–‍1
Angels 273‍–‍262
Angels rename to "Anaheim Angels"
1998
Rangers
7‍–‍5
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels 278‍–‍269
Angels' Anaheim Stadium renamed Edison International Field of Anaheim
1999
Tie
6‍–‍6
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels 284‍–‍275 :
2000s (Angels, 100–83)
SeasonSeason seriesat Anaheim Angels/ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheimat Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
2000
Angels
7‍–‍5
Tie, 3‍–‍3
Angels, 4‍–‍2
Angels 291‍–‍280
2001
Rangers
12‍–‍7
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Rangers, 7‍–‍2
Angels 298‍–‍292
MLB changed to an unbalanced schedule in 2001, resulting in 19–20 meetings per year
2002
Angels
12‍–‍7
Angels, 7‍–‍2
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Angels 310‍–‍299
Angels win 2002 World Series
2003
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍4
Rangers, 6‍–‍3
Angels 319‍–‍309
2004
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Angels 328‍–‍319
Angels' Edison International Field of Anaheim renamed Angel Stadium of Anaheim
2005
Angels
15‍–‍4
Angels, 8‍–‍1
Angels, 7‍–‍3
Angels 343‍–‍323
Angels rename to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" Rangers' The Ballpark in Arlington renamed Ameriquest Field in Arlington
2006
Angels
11‍–‍8
Angels, 6‍–‍4
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Angels 354‍–‍331
2007
Angels
10‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Rangers, 6‍–‍4
Angels 364‍–‍340
Rangers' Ameriquest Field in Arlington renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
2008
Angels
12‍–‍7
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Angels, 7‍–‍2
Angels 376‍–‍347
2009
Rangers
11‍–‍8
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Rangers, 6‍–‍3
Angels 384‍–‍358 :
2010s (Tie, 95–95)
SeasonSeason seriesat Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim)at Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
2010
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Rangers, 7‍–‍3
Angels 393‍–‍368
Rangers lose 2010 World Series
2011
Rangers
12‍–‍7
Rangers, 7‍–‍3
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Angels 400‍–‍380
Rangers lose 2011 World Series
2012
Angels
10‍–‍9
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Tie, 5‍–‍5
Angels 410‍–‍389
2013
Rangers
15‍–‍4
Rangers, 6‍–‍3
Rangers, 9‍–‍1
Angels 414‍–‍404
Both AL and NL have balanced teams, which leads to a balanced schedule of 19 games per season.
2014
Angels
14‍–‍5
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Angels, 9‍–‍1
Angels 428‍–‍409
Rangers' Rangers Ballpark in Arlington renamed Globe Life Park in Arlington
2015
Angels
12‍–‍7
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Angels, 7‍–‍3
Angels 440‍–‍416
2016
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍4
Rangers, 6‍–‍3
Angels 449‍–‍426
Angels name reverts back to "Los Angeles Angels"
2017
Rangers
11‍–‍8
Rangers, 6‍–‍4
Rangers, 5‍–‍4
Angels 457‍–‍437
2018
Angels
13‍–‍6
Angels, 7‍–‍2
Angels, 6‍–‍4
Angels 470‍–‍443
2019
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Angels, 6‍–‍3
Rangers, 7‍–‍3
Angels 479‍–‍453 :
2020s (Rangers, 40–34)
SeasonSeason seriesat Los Angeles Angelsat Texas RangersOverall seriesNotes
2020
Rangers
6‍–‍4
Angels, 3‍–‍1
Rangers, 5‍–‍1
Angels 483‍–‍459
Season shortened to 60 games (with 10 meetings) due to COVID-19 pandemic. Rangers open Globe Life Field
2021
Angels
11‍–‍8
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Angels, 6‍–‍4
Angels 494‍–‍467
2022
Rangers
10‍–‍9
Angels, 5‍–‍4
Rangers, 6‍–‍4
Angels 503‍–‍477
2023
Rangers
7‍–‍6
Rangers, 4‍–‍2
Angels, 4‍–‍3
Angels 509‍–‍484
Schedule structure modified this season to allow every team to play one series against every interleague team. Shortening meetings from 19 to 13 games Rangers win 2023 World Series
2024
Rangers
9‍–‍4
Rangers, 5‍–‍1
Rangers, 4‍–‍3
Angels 513‍–‍493
2025
Upcoming, July 7‍–‍10, 28‍–‍30
Upcoming, April 15‍–‍17, August 25‍–‍27 :
Summary of Results
SeasonSeason seriesat Los Angeles Angelsat Texas RangersNotes
Los Angeles Angels vs Washington Senators
Senators
93‍–‍87
Angels, 50‍–‍40
Senators, 53‍–‍37
Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers
Angels
426‍–‍400
Angels, 227‍–‍179
Rangers, 221‍–‍199
Overall Regular season games
Angels
513‍–‍493
Angels, 277‍–‍219
Rangers, 274‍–‍236 :

## Connections between the teams

| Name | Position(s) | Angels' tenure | Rangers' tenure |
| Vladimir Guerrero | Right Fielder | 2004–2009 | 2010 |
| Josh Hamilton | Outfielder | 2013–2014 | 2008–2012, 2015 |
| Mike Napoli | First Baseman/Catcher | 2006–2010 | 2011–2012, 2015, 2017 |
| Darren Oliver | Pitcher | 2007–2009 | 1993–1998 2000–2001 2010–2011 |
| Nolan Ryan | Pitcher | 1972–1979 | 1989–1993 |
| C. J. Wilson | Pitcher | 2012–2015 | 2005–2011 |