The 1996 California Angels season was the 36th season of the California Angels franchise in the American League, the 31st in Anaheim, and their 31st season playing their home games at Anaheim Stadium. The Angels finished fourth in the American League West with a record of 70 wins and 91 losses.

The season was notable for being the final season the franchise bore the "California Angels" moniker, as the team name was changed to "Anaheim Angels" the following season.

The Angels used 29 different pitchers during the season, the most of any MLB team in 1996.

Offseason November 21, 1995: Randy Velarde was signed as a free agent with the California Angels. December 6, 1995: Mike Aldrete signed as a free agent with the California Angels.Mike Aldrete Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 7, 1995: Scott Sanderson was signed as a free agent with the California Angels.Scott Sanderson Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 18, 1995: Todd Frohwirth was signed as a free agent with the California Angels. January 9, 1996: Jim Abbott signed as a free agent with the California Angels.Jim Abbott Statistics Baseball-Reference.com February 6, 1996: Mark Eichhorn was signed as a free agent with the California Angels. March 25, 1996: Ricky Jordan was purchased by the Seattle Mariners from the California Angels.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 2 || Brewers || 9–15 || Wickander || Finley (0–1) || — || 27,836 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 2 || April 3 || Brewers || 3–2 (11) || James (1–0) || Lloyd || — || 15,024 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 3 || April 5 || White Sox || 7–6 (11) || James (2–0) || McCaskill || — || 22,812 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 6 || White Sox || 4–8 || Fernandez || Abbott (0–1) || — || 26,447 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 5 || April 7 || White Sox || 6–5 || Finley (1–1) || Alvarez || Percival (1) || 16,970 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 9 || @ Blue Jays || 0–5 || Hentgen || Langston (0–1) || — || 36,616 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 7 || April 10 || @ Blue Jays || 2–1 || Holzemer (1–0) || Guzman || Percival (2) || 25,446 || 4–3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || April 11 || @ Blue Jays || 4–7 || Hanson || Abbott (0–2) || Timlin || 25,512 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 9 || April 12 || @ Tigers || 5–4 || Finley (2–1) || Lira || Percival (3) || 9,921 || 5–4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 13 || @ Tigers || 5–9 || Keagle || Sanderson (0–1) || — || 11,719 || 5–5 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 14 || @ Tigers || 4–5 || Lewis || James (2–1) || — || 12,009 || 5–6 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 15 || @ Mariners || 10–11 || Charlton || Eichhorn (0–1) || — || 36,960 || 5–7 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 16 || @ Mariners || 3–5 || Johnson || Abbott (0–3) || — || 25,404 || 5–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 14 || April 17 || Blue Jays || 5–1 || Finley (3–1) || Quantrill || — || 15,361 || 6–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 15 || April 18 || Blue Jays || 9–6 || James (3–1) || Ware || Percival (4) || 25,083 || 7–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 16 || April 19 || Tigers || 4–3 || Langston (1–1) || Myers || — || 32,693 || 8–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 17 || April 20 || Tigers || 2–1 || Grimsley (1–0) || Keagle || Percival (5) || 25,685 || 9–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 18 || April 21 || Tigers || 6–5 || Eichhorn (1–1) || Lewis || Percival (6) || 36,733 || 10–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 19 || April 22 || Tigers || 6–5 || James (4–1) || Christopher || Percival (7) || 17,039 || 11–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 20 || April 24 || @ Brewers || 4–3 || Boskie (1–0) || McDonald || Percival (8) || 7,051 || 12–8 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 25 || @ Brewers || 5–6 || Fetters || James (4–2) || — || 6,707 || 12–9 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbb;" | || April 26 || @ White Sox || colspan=5 |Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for June 24 || 12–9 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 27 || @ White Sox || 1–2 || Fernandez || Abbott (0–4) || Hernandez || 18,139 || 12–10 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 28 || @ White Sox || 1–10 || Baldwin || Finley (3–2) || — || 15,574 || 12–11 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 24 || April 29 || @ White Sox || 3–4 || Alvarez || Grimsley (1–1) || Hernandez || 12,549 || 12–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 25 || April 30 || @ Athletics || 7–3 || Langston (2–1) || Prieto || — || 7,154 || 13–12

|- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 26 || May 1 || @ Athletics || 6–4 || Boskie (2–0) || Van Poppel || Percival (9) || 6,721 || 14–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 27 || May 2 || @ Athletics || 3–1 || Abbott (1–4) || Johns || Percival (10) || 9,102 || 15–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 28 || May 3 || Twins || 4–1 || Finley (4–2) || Robertson || Percival (11) || 24,505 || 16–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 29 || May 4 || Twins || 5–2 || Grimsley (2–1) || Rodriguez || — || 29,264 || 17–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 30 || May 5 || Twins || 5–1 || Boskie (3–0) || Hawkins || — || 35,541 || 18–12 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 6 || Royals || 4–9 || Belcher || Leftwich (0–1) || Pichardo || 14,447 || 18–13 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 7 || Royals || 3–5 || Valera || Abbott (1–5) || Montgomery || 14,657 || 18–14 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 8 || Royals || 1–3 (14) || Pichardo || Eichhorn (1–2) || — || 16,210 || 18–15 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 9 || Royals || 2–8 || Gubicza || Grimsley (2–2) || — || 15,302 || 18–16 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 35 || May 10 || Indians || 13–8 || Boskie (4–0) || Lopez || — || 23,522 || 19–16 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 36 || May 11 || Indians || 5–6 || McDowell || Sanderson (0–2) || Mesa || 32,102 || 19–17 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 37 || May 12 || Indians || 1–4 || Poole || Percival (0–1) || Mesa || 22,768 || 19–18 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 38 || May 14 || @ Red Sox || 3–4 (12) || Belinda || Boskie (4–1) || — || 22,450 || 19–19 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 15 || @ Red Sox || 6–17 || Moyer || Grimsley (2–3) || — || 23,455 || 19–20 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 17 || @ Yankees || 5–8 || Pettitte || Abbott (1–6) || Rivera || 19,087 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 || May 18 || @ Yankees || 3–7 || Rogers || Williams (0–1) || Rivera || 22,821 || 19–22 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 42 || May 19 || @ Yankees || 10–1 || Finley (5–2) || Kamieniecki || — || 37,326 || 20–22 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 20 || @ Orioles || 1–13 || Wells || Grimsley (2–4) || — || 43,492 || 20–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 44 || May 21 || @ Orioles || 5–2 || Boskie (5–1) || Krivda || Percival (12) || 39,974 || 21–23 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 45 || May 22 || @ Orioles || 5–10 || Haynes || Abbott (1–7) || McDowell || 45,817 || 21–24 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 46 || May 24 || Red Sox || 3–1 || Finley (6–2) || Sele || Percival (13) || 19,550 || 22–24 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 25 || Red Sox || 3–10 || Gordon || Williams (0–2) || — || 23,972 || 22–25 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 48 || May 26 || Red Sox || 12–2 || Boskie (6–1) || Eshelman || — || 23,828 || 23–25 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 27 || Yankees || 5–16 || Pettitte || Abbott (1–8) || — || 20,926 || 23–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 50 || May 28 || Yankees || 1–0 || Grimsley (3–4) || Rogers || — || 17,284 || 24–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 51 || May 29 || Yankees || 4–0 || Finley (7–2) || Mendoza || — || 19,246 || 25–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 52 || May 31 || Orioles || 10–3 || Langston (3–1) || Wells || — || 21,603 || 26–26

|- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 53 || June 1 || Orioles || 8–3 || Boskie (7–1) || Haynes || — || 35,350 || 27–26 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || June 2 || Orioles || 1–14 || Erickson || Abbott (1–9) || — || 33,704 || 27–27 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || June 3 || @ Twins || 3–9 || Trombley || Finley (7–3) || — || 10,589 || 27–28 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 56 || June 4 || @ Twins || 3–5 || Rodriguez || Grimsley (3–5) || Guardado || 10,899 || 27–29 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 57 || June 5 || @ Twins || 3–14 || Aldred || Langston (3–2) || Hansell || 10,639 || 27–30 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 58 || June 7 || @ Indians || 3–4 || McDowell || Boskie (7–2) || Mesa || 42,260 || 27–31 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 59 || June 8 || @ Indians || 0–5 || Hershiser || Finley (7–4) || — || 42,267 || 27–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 60 || June 9 || @ Indians || 8–6 (13) || Hancock (1–0) || Tavarez || — || 42,237 || 28–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 61 || June 10 || @ Royals || 7–5 (10) || McElroy (1–0) || Pugh || Percival (14) || 15,691 || 29–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 62 || June 11 || @ Royals || 11–9 || McElroy (2–0) || Valera || Percival (15) || 16,687 || 30–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 63 || June 12 || @ Royals || 4–3 (10) || McElroy (3–0) || Montgomery || Percival (16) || 15,428 || 31–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 64 || June 13 || Blue Jays || 6–4 || Finley (8–4) || Guzman || James (1) || 20,528 || 32–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 65 || June 14 || Blue Jays || 7–4 || Grimsley (4–5) || Hanson || Percival (17) || 18,503 || 33–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 66 || June 15 || Blue Jays || 7–5 || Langston (4–2) || Crabtree || Percival (18) || 40,352 || 34–32 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 67 || June 16 || Blue Jays || 4–6 || Quantrill || Abbott (1–10) || Timlin || 22,979 || 34–33 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 68 || June 17 || White Sox || 9–8 (13) || Hancock (2–0) || McCaskill || — || 17,836 || 35–33 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 69 || June 18 || White Sox || 5–4 || Finley (9–4) || Simas || Percival (19) || 19,213 || 36–33 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 70 || June 19 || White Sox || 14–2 || McElroy (4–0) || Alvarez || — || 22,960 || 37–33 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 71 || June 20 || @ Brewers || 10–3 || Langston (5–2) || Givens || — || 16,034 || 38–33 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 72 || June 21 || @ Brewers || 5–10 || McDonald || Abbott (1–11) || — || 16,274 || 38–34 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 73 || June 22 || @ Brewers || 6–4 || Boskie (8–2) || Miranda || Percival (20) || 35,464 || 39–34 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 74 || June 23 || @ Brewers || 4–8 || Garcia || Finley (9–5) || — || 17,051 || 39–35 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 75 || June 24 || @ White Sox || 2–4 || Alvarez || James (4–3) || Hernandez || — || 39–36 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 76 || June 24 || @ White Sox || 6–4 || Hancock (3–0) || Sirotka || Percival (21) || 24,469 || 40–36 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 77 || June 25 || @ White Sox || 2–3 || Tapani || Langston (5–3) || Hernandez || 23,270 || 40–37 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 78 || June 27 || Athletics || 2–18 || Johns || Boskie (8–3) || — || 23,503 || 40–38 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 79 || June 28 || Athletics || 3–6 || Chouinard || Finley (9–6) || — || 32,380 || 40–39 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 80 || June 29 || Athletics || 9–11 || Groom || Monteleone (0–1) || — || 26,565 || 40–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 81 || June 30 || Athletics || 1–0 || Hancock (4–0) || Wasdin || Percival (22) || 19,284 || 41–40

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 82 || July 1 || Rangers || 6–8 || Gross || Langston (5–4) || Henneman || 19,754 || 41–41 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 83 || July 2 || Rangers || 6–5 || James (5–3) || Henneman || — || 19,055 || 42–41 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 84 || July 3 || Rangers || 1–8 || Pavlik || Finley (9–7) || — || 45,979 || 42–42 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 85 || July 4 || @ Athletics || 7–8 (11) || Taylor || Monteleone (0–2) || — || 14,144 || 42–43 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 86 || July 5 || @ Athletics || 8–16 || Wasdin || Hancock (4–1) || — || 36,129 || 42–44 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 87 || July 6 || @ Athletics || 5–6 (10) || Taylor || James (5–4) || — || 14,294 || 42–45 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 88 || July 7 || @ Athletics || 9–4 || Boskie (9–3) || Johns || — || 16,526 || 43–45 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 89 || July 11 || @ Mariners || 4–5 (12) || Carmona || Monteleone (0–3) || — || 25,949 || 43–46 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 90 || July 12 || @ Mariners || 6–7 (10) || Ayala || McElroy (4–1) || — || 29,618 || 43–47 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 91 || July 13 || @ Mariners || 6–4 || Boskie (10–3) || Ayala || Percival (23) || 37,792 || 44–47 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 92 || July 14 || @ Mariners || 0–8 || Wells || Grimsley (4–6) || — || 33,243 || 44–48 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 93 || July 15 || @ Rangers || 10–7 || Schmidt (1–0) || Brandenburg || Percival (24) || 45,655 || 45–48 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 94 || July 16 || @ Rangers || 2–6 || Oliver || Abbott (1–12) || Russell || 34,680 || 45–49