1985 California Angels season

The 1985 California Angels season was the 25th season of the California Angels franchise in the American League, the 20th in Anaheim, and their 20th season playing their home games at Anaheim Stadium. The Angels finished second in the American League West with a 90–72 record, finishing one game behind the eventual World Series champions, the Kansas City Royals.

Offseason

• November 7, 1984: Ellis Valentine was released by the Angels.
• January 11, 1985: Rob Picciolo was released by the California Angels.
• January 30, 1985: Ruppert Jones was signed as a free agent with the California Angels.
• March 31, 1985: Bill Mooneyham was released by the Angels.

Regular season

• October 6, 1985: Rufino Linares hit a home run in the last at-bat of his career.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

• June 3, 1985: Bo Jackson was drafted by the Angels in the 20th round of the 1985 amateur draft, but did not sign.
• June 19, 1985: Tommy John was released by the Angels.
• August 2, 1985: Pat Clements, Mike Brown and a player to be named later were traded by the Angels to the Pittsburgh Pirates for John Candelaria, George Hendrick and Al Holland. The Angels completed the deal by sending Bob Kipper to the Pirates on August 16.
• September 10, 1985: The Angels traded players to be named later to the Oakland Athletics for Don Sutton. The Angels completed the deal by sending Robert Sharpnack (minors) and Jerome Nelson (minors) to the Athletics on September 25.

Roster

Game log

Regular season

|-

|-style=background:#fbb | 22 || May 1 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || L 3–6 || Key (1–2) || McCaskill (0–1) || – || 2:34 || 24,112 || 14–8 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 23 || May 2 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || W 3–2 || Clements (2–0) || Stieb (1–3) || – || 2:45 || 23,824 || 15–8 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 32 || May 14 || 4:35p.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || L 3–6 || Alexander (5–1) || Slaton (3–2) || Caudill (7) || 2:42 || 22,445 || 19–13 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 33 || May 15 || 4:35p.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || W 9–6 || Moore (2–1) || Caudill (4–3) || – || 3:00 || 18,119 || 20–13 || LW1 |-style=background:#fbb | 34 || May 17 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Yankees || L 0–6 || Niekro (5–2) || Witt (2–4) || – || 2:40 || 61,066 || 20–14 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 35 || May 18 || 12:20p.m. PDT || Yankees || L 1–6 || Cowley (2–2) || John (2–3) || Fisher (1) || 2:48 || 32,936 || 20–15 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 36 || May 19 || 1:00p.m. PDT || Yankees || W 4–1 || Slaton (4–2) || Whitson (1–5) || Moore (9) || 2:29 || 39,724 || 21–15 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 37 || May 20 || || Tigers |-style=background:#bfb | 38 || May 21 || || Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 39 || May 22 || || Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 44 || May 29 || 5:00p.m. PDT || @ Yankees || L 2–7 || Niekro (6–3) || Slaton (4–3) || – || 2:30 || 25,049 || 25–19 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 45 || May 30 || 5:00p.m. PDT || @ Yankees || L 1–3 || Cowley (4–2) || Romanick (6–2) || Righetti (10) || 2:09 || 17,226 || 25–20 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb | 46 || May 31 || || @ Tigers |-

|-style=background:#bfb | 47 || June 1 || || @ Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 48 || June 2 || || @ Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 52 || June 7 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Royals || L 0–6 || Saberhagen (6–3) || Witt (3–6) || – || 2:26 || 29,414 || 28–24 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 53 || June 8 || 7:00p.m. PDT || Royals || L 1–4 || Gubicza (2–4) || Slaton (4–4) || Quisenberry (11) || 2:19 || 46,393 || 28–25 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb | 54 || June 9 || 1:00p.m. PDT || Royals || W 1–0 || Romanick (7–2) || Jackson (4–3) || Moore (12) || 2:04 || 41,973 || 29–25 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 58 || June 13 || || White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 59 || June 14 || || White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 60 || June 15 || || White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 61 || June 16 || || White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 65 || June 21 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 66 || June 22 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 67 || June 23 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 71 || June 28 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || L 4–5 || Quisenberry (4–4) || Corbett (2–1) || – || 4:50 || 32,651 || 40–31 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 72 || June 29 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || W 7–1 || Lugo (3–1) || Black (5–8) || – || 2:46 || 39,451 || 41–31 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 73 || June 30 || 11:35a.m. PDT || @ Royals || L 1–3 || Gubicza (6–4) || Romanick (8–4) || Quisenberry (14) || 2:23 || 33,173 || 41–32 || L1 |-

|-style=background:#fbb | 84 || July 11 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || L 3–5 || Alexander (8–6) || Slaton (4–8) || Lavelle (4) || 2:49 || 31,672 || 49–35 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 85 || July 12 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || W 5–3 || McCaskill (5–5) || Key (7–4) || Moore (17) || 2:43 || 35,870 || 50–35 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 86 || July 13 || 7:00p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || W 4–3 || Witt (7–6) || Lavelle (3–3) || – || 2:55 || 42,054 || 51–35 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb | 87 || July 14 || 1:00p.m. PDT || Blue Jays || W 5–3 || Cliburn (4–2) || Lavelle (3–4) || – || 2:53 || 35,306 || 52–35 || W3 |-style=background:#bbbfff |colspan="12"|56th All-Star Game in Minneapolis, MN |-style=background:#fbb | 95 || July 25 || 4:35p.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || L 0–7 || Stieb (10–6) || Witt (8–7) || – || 2:28 || 32,083 || 56–39 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 96 || July 26 || 4:35p.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || L 3–8 || Clancy (7–4) || Lugo (3–3) || – || 2:36 || 31,294 || 56–40 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 97 || July 27 || 10:35a.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || L 3–8 || Filer (2–0) || Mack (0–1) || Acker (10) || 2:38 || 44,116 || 56–41 || L3 |-style=background:#fbb | 98 || July 28 || 10:35a.m. PDT || @ Blue Jays || L 1–5 || Alexander (10–6) || McCaskill (6–7) || – || 2:28 || 36,190 || 56–42 || L4 |-

|-style=background:#fbb | 119 || August 20 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Yankees || L 5–8 || Bordi (4–4) || Slaton (5–10) || Righetti (23) || 3:04 || 38,791 || 68–51 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 120 || August 21 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Yankees || L 10–13 || Righetti (10–7) || Moore (7–7) || – || 4:01 || 40,363 || 68–52 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 121 || August 22 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Yankees || W 3–2 || Witt (11–7) || Bordi (4–5) || – || 3:23 || 44,796 || 69–52 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 122 || August 23 || || Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 123 || August 24 || || Tigers |-style=background:#bfb | 124 || August 25 || || Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 127 || August 29 || 5:00p.m. PDT || @ Yankees || L 0–4 || Niekro (13–9) || McCaskill (9–9) || – || 2:43 || 32,169 || 72–55 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 128 || August 30 || 5:00p.m. PDT || @ Yankees || W 4–1 || Candelaria (3–1) || Bystrom (3–2) || Moore (24) || 3:09 || 22,256 || 73–55 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 129 || August 31 || 10:20a.m. PDT || @ Yankees || L 4–10 || Righetti (11–7) || Corbett (2–2) || – || 3:04 || 26,991 || 73–56 || L1 |-

|-style=background:#fbb | 130 || September 1 || 11:00a.m. EDT || @ Yankees || L 3–5 || Shirley (4–4) || Holland (0–1) || Fisher (10) || 3:06 || 33,080 || 73–57 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 131 || September 2 || || @ Tigers |-style=background:#fbb | 132 || September 3 || || @ Tigers |-style=background:#bfb | 133 || September 4 || || @ Tigers |-style=background:#bfb | 137 || September 9 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Royals || W 7–1 || Candelaria (5–1) || Saberhagen (17–6) || – || 1:57 || 29,688 || 77–60 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 138 || September 10 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Royals || L 0–6 || Leibrandt (15–7) || McCaskill (9–11) || – || 2:12 || 37,813 || 77–61 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 139 || September 11 || 7:30p.m. PDT || Royals || L 1–2 || Jackson (13–9) || Romanick (13–8) || Quisenberry (33) || 2:41 || 32,906 || 77–62 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 144 || September 17 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 145 || September 18 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 146 || September 19 || || @ White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 150 || September 23 || || White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 151 || September 24 || || White Sox |-style=background:#bfb | 152 || September 25 || || White Sox |-style=background:#fbb | 156 || September 30 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || L 1–3 || Saberhagen (20–6) || Candelaria (6–3) || – || 2:09 || 34,200 || 87–69 || L1 |-

|-style=background:#bfb | 157 || October 1 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || W 4–2 || Witt (14–9) || Leibrandt (17–9) || Moore (30) || 2:36 || 26,273 || 88–69 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 158 || October 2 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || L 0–4 || Black (10–15) || Romanick (14–9) || – || 2:08 || 28,401 || 88–70 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 159 || October 3 || 5:35p.m. PDT || @ Royals || L 1–4 || Jackson (14–12) || Sutton (15–10) || Quisenberry (36) || 2:24 || 40,894 || 88–71 || L2 |-

|- style="text-align:center;" | Legend:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Win&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Loss&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Postponement<br>Bold = Angels team member

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Farm system

References

• 1985 California Angels at Baseball Reference
• 1985 California Angels at Baseball Almanac