1997 Anaheim Angels season

The 1997 Anaheim Angels season involved the Angels finishing second in the American League West with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses. It was the first season for the franchise as the "Anaheim Angels", after playing under the name of the "California Angels" for the previous 31 seasons, plus part of another. It was also the first season that the team introduced a new logo: the word angels on the front of the jerseys (which were now in a vest style) with wings coming out of the A (the winged A was also used on the team's caps). This look would last until 2001 when it was retired immediately after that season.

Offseason

 * October 28, 1996: Chili Davis was traded by the Angels to the Kansas City Royals for Mike Bovee and Mark Gubicza.
 * November 12, 1996: Todd Van Poppel was selected off waivers by the Anaheim Angels from the Detroit Tigers.
 * November 26, 1996: J. T. Snow was traded by the Anaheim Angels to the San Francisco Giants for Allen Watson and Fausto Macey (minors).
 * December 5, 1996: Jim Leyritz was traded by the New York Yankees to the Anaheim Angels for players to be named later. The Anaheim Angels sent Jeremy Blevins (minors) (December 9, 1996) and Ryan Kane (minors) (December 9, 1996) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
 * December 6, 1996: Craig Grebeck was signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Angels.
 * March 26, 1997: Todd Van Poppel was released by the Anaheim Angels.
 * March 31, 1997: Jim Abbott was released by the Anaheim Angels.

Regular season

 * June 17, 1997: The first interleague game between the Anaheim Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers took place at Dodger Stadium. The rivalry would be known as the Freeway Series. The Dodgers won the game by a score of 4–3.

Notable transactions

 * May 18, 1997: Tony Phillips was traded by the Chicago White Sox with Chad Kreuter to the Anaheim Angels for Chuck McElroy and Jorge Fábregas.
 * June 3, 1997: Matt Wise was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in the 6th round of the 1997 amateur draft. Player signed June 8, 1997.
 * July 10, 1997: Greg Cadaret was signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Angels.
 * July 29, 1997: Jim Leyritz was traded by the Anaheim Angels with a player to be named later to the Texas Rangers for Ken Hill. The Anaheim Angels sent Rob Sasser (October 31, 1997) to the Texas Rangers to complete the trade.
 * August 13, 1997: Rickey Henderson was traded by the San Diego Padres to the Anaheim Angels for a player to be named later, Ryan Hancock, and Stevenson Agosto (minors). The Anaheim Angels sent George Arias (August 19, 1997) to the San Diego Padres to complete the trade.

Regular season

 * - style="text-align:center;"
 * Legend:      = Win       = Loss       = Postponement Bold = Angels team member

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''

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