July 5: Manager Phil Nevin tells reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that Trout underwent surgery to address his fracture. His timeline for return is four to eight weeks.
July 4: The Angels announced that Mike Trout has been placed on the injured list with a left hamate fracture. Right-hander Víctor Mederos was also optioned to Double-A Rocket City. In corresponding moves, outfielder Jo Adell and right-hander Gerardo Reyes were recalled.
The club has yet to provide any kind of estimate timeline on Trout but an absence from a hamate fracture is typically measured in weeks. For example, Mariners outfielder Taylor Trammell was diagnosed with a hamate fracture in February with a provided seven-week timeline for his recovery and he began a rehab assignment two months later. Andrew Benintendi suffered the same injury at the start of September while with the Yankees last year and never returned, despite the Yanks making it to the ALCS and playing until October 23. Each player and injury is different, but it seems reasonable to expect Trout will be out of action for roughly six to eight weeks.
Obviously, this is a tremendous blow for the Angels on a number of fronts. Trout has been one of the better players in baseball for over a decade now, having already won three Most Valuable Player awards and a litany of other accolades. He’s hit .301/.412/.582 in his career for a wRC+ of 170 while stealing 206 bases and providing excellent center field defense. He’s been a bit below that this year, but even his relative “down” year still has him at .263/.369/.493 and a 137 wRC+.
Losing one of the best players in the world for an extended stretch of time would be rough news for any club, but it will be particularly noteworthy for this Angels squad. Despite a roster featuring superstars like Trout, Shohei Ohtani and others in recent years, they have frequently been felled by injuries and a lack of depth. They haven’t had a winning record since 2015, haven’t made the playoffs since 2014 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2009.
The 2023 season has already been in the spotlight since Ohtani is in his final year of club control before he qualifies for free agency. The club has been acting aggressively to try to win this year, both to take advantage of Ohtani’s production while they still have him and to convince him to stay by constructing a winning roster around him. They spent their offseason acquiring complementary players like Brandon Drury, Hunter Renfroe and Carlos Estévez. They aggressively promoted prospects like Zach Neto, Ben Joyce and Sam Bachman. Due to a recent rash of injuries to infielders like Neto, Drury, Gio Urshela and Anthony Rendon, they went out and traded for veterans Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas.
Currently, the club is 45-42, three games back of the Yankees for the final Wild Card spot in the American League, with the Blue Jays in between them. They certainly have a shot to break their postseason drought, but their odds will certainly go down without Trout. Some fans of other clubs may start salivating at the idea of the club deciding to blow it all up and trade Ohtani, but given the way the Angels have behaved this year, it seems more likely that they will be aggressive in adding to the roster to make up for Trout’s absence.
For now, they will likely use Mickey Moniak in center. He’s having a breakout year at the plate, hitting .307/.336/.658 through 119 plate appearances for a 168 wRC+. He’s mostly played the corners in deference to Trout but has solid defensive marks in center. That will create challenges though, as the left-handed hitting Moniak has largely been shielded from lefties, having just 10 trips to the plate this year without the platoon advantage. Adell hits from the right side and could take the short side of the platoon but he’s struggled in the big leagues overall. In 561 plate appearances dating back to 2020, he’s hit just .215/.261/.362. He’s performing better in Triple-A this year but that’s nothing new for him.
However it plays out, the Angels are in a challenging spot for now and will be a fascinating club to watch. With less than a month until the August 1 deadline and the team just outside the postseason picture, each game will continue to take on increased significance as things progress.
Brutal. Just brutal for the game as a whole.
The postseason has thrived for the past decade without him, I think the game will survive for the next couple of months without him,
@Ted: Spare us the ridiculous hyperbole. It’s bad for the Angels, but the MLB season and life will go on as scheduled.
Of course it will. It still sucks to have the faces of baseball out for months at a time.
But baseball has 29 other teams and plenty of other players and faces. Stop swallowing every piece of BS the media feeds you.
@outinleftfield: I don’t have the time and crayons to help you understand why that is such a ridiculous statement.
But stupidity is not a crime, so you’re free to go.
Sadly the face of baseball is probably Bud Selig or Buster Olney.
somebody please stuff a sock down this pseudo intellects throat,
I’d rather hear the Monkees sing “Day Dream Believer”
Cheer up sleepy Jean – or whatever they line was
BB, he called you out and you failed with your response. Miserably.
Trout is an all-time great and HE is what people are paying to see. He puts behinds in the seats and eyes on the screen whether he is playing at home or on the road. He makes the team he plays for and the teams he plays against money. If he is out, it’s bad for the game as a whole because less eyes are in the stands and watching the games during his absence.
That you don’t understand that shows us all that you are the one that is playing with crayons.
@websoulsurfer: I don’t suffer fools like him gladly. Idiots are gonna idiot.
You certainly do, Blue.
Curly spot on and still kicking a$$ as usual! How are ya Dave o’l sport? Keeping the beard in line?
@websoulsurfer I have to disagree. Trout doesn’t pull people to watch the Angels anymore. Almost anyone tuning into an Angels game is doing so to watch Ohtani. Trout is now the Robin to Ohtani’s Batman. The dude is hitting.268 and slugging under.500 and generally hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
In a survey prior to the 2023 season, 11% of single game ticket sales from 2022 mentioned Trout as the reason they attended games. Ohtani was 12%. So yes, he does pull people to the game. Being able say you saw one of the greatest players of all time is a huge draw,
Trout has a 2.9 WAR, 135 OPS+, and is top 25 in the game across the board this season. But hey, keep on demonstrating your total lack of knowledge of baseball.
THE greatest!
@blewcrayons I started a GFM to buy you some more crayons. Hope it’s helpful.
He’s not really the face of baseball anymore. Sure, he’s an incredible talent when he plays, but when is the key word there. Dating back to 2017, he’s only been on the field 70% of his team’s games. Imagine if Patrick Mahomes only played 10-11 games each year for 6 years.. it’d be hard to consider him the face of the game anymore.
I agree he often hurt and out. It’s a shame but it’s already July 5th. Eight weeks for someone else is 12 for Trout. He’s done for the season. There won’t be any postseason to come back for.
As stupid as you act, crayons are probably your speed blue.
@websoulsurfer: Remember when I asked for your opinion? Me neither.
The people who put up with you are the real heroes.
None of us asked for your opinion and yet you continue to give it, regardless of how far off base or uninformed it is.
Dating back to 2012 he leads baseball in WAR by 24.2 even though he has only played 70% of his team’s games the last few years. Let me repeat that. 22.2 WAR. Since he started playing full time in 2012, Trout has been 40% better than the next best player in the game.
He had a 6.3 WAR in 119 games last season. He was the 12th best position player in the game and didn’t have a qualifying number of PA. That is how much better than mere mortals Mike Trout is.
Bob Uecker
Ohtani is hitting better with Trout behind him, take Trout out they pitch around Ohtani
Ted, thanks for keeping it positive.
There is no point trying to defend anything about California. People hate us and anything to do with the state. They have fallen for what the media portrays, people spreading false information and always focusing on the negative. And hating Mike Trout for no logical reasons. The numbers don’t lie and to say anything else is just ignorant and childish jealousy. By the way he is from NJ folks.
Spit your venom at me people, I’m used to the hate.
The face of baseball is Mr. Met.
Trout is not a top 25 player anymore with all these injuries, he’s just a good player but he doesn’t impact the game like he used too anymore could name 25 guys that are better this season
When I travel 90 miles up the 5 to catch a game in Anaheim, I am not going to see the Angels. I am going to see Trout and Ohtani.
When I watch Angels games on MLB.tv I am paying attention to see Trout and Ohtani. Sometimes I skip other parts of the game to get to their at bats quicker.
I would bet that the numbers you quoted are actually low, because not everyone bought their tickets from the Angels directly and not everyone answered the survey.
But, instead you name none.
We see that every game at the Big A. People travel here from all over southern California to see 2 guys. Trout and Ohtani. Watch how many start for the exits the moment Trout or Ohtani is taken out of a game. Its astonishing.
This ^^^
Blue Baron, why can’t you just admit that you want Trout on your team? Stop being so jelly. The only thing “hyperbolic” is your Elton John spectacles!
I’ve had him on my team several times. No big deal.
Last time Trout was out for an extended time, they had a better winning percentage without him. This is not good for Trout, but could be the best thing for the Angels, if history repeats.
The last time Trout was out for an extended time was July 13 to August 18 last season and the Angels went 13-17 overall.
It’s never good for the team to have one of the greats of the game on the sideline. Any intelligent fan would realize that.
But it also creates an opportunity for another player, perhaps a prospect awaiting his chance to shine.
It’s not all about one or a few players, but about the TEAM and embracing the opportunity that adversity always creates.
It should always be about the team and not crying over any individual player getting hurt. Any intelligent person understands that.
And any intelligent person would realize that his injury, even in a down year, is going to impact their chances on a couple of fronts.
Pretty sure that “prospect waiting to shine” you’re speaking of is Jo Adell. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, the Angels are DEFINITELY going to miss Mike Trout
@Baron considering Addell is the one being shuffled up and down getting his umpteenth chance, nobody is breaking out. A bat first talent who hasn’t been able to hit at MLB player will b playing more.
Nobody is crying about Trout being out either. They are stating the obvious it’s not a benefit to the sport as a whole. Nobody has really even been speaking of how it affects his team and poor them, but rather the fans and missing opportunities to see a generational talent. Are you intelligent enough to understand that???
Last year Trout was out for several weeks came back to lead the Angels in hitting and homeruns and batted better than 90% of the guys playing.
@Baron sorry but this is just an asinine take. When any sport misses a player of Trout’s talent and name recognition it is bad for that sport. Yes the season will go on but any time a big name is out it is not a benefit.
@Tigers3232: If you disagree, fine. But that doesn’t mean other opinions are asinine.
My statement about prospects was a general one, not specifically about the Angels and Adell. Every team has injuries, and often the adversity creates opportunity for young players to show what they can do.
Wally Pipp and Lou Gehrig is the classic example, but it’s happened repeatedly throughout the history of the game.
Get your head out of your butt.
Except yours.
websoulsurfer and outinleftfield = same guy on 2 different accounts
This injury is common
Like all the other seasons Trout has missed significant time with injuries. Not a big deal for the game at all. Just big for the Angels.
Was wondering if he was gonna get the surgery? Mike Trout, Allen Craig says hi, I didn’t, playing in the world series was more important than my career… nevermind my batting average with runners in scoring position before Allen Craig made that choice
Trout healthy for a full season… it was too good to be true.
He’s a tough guy in excellent condition. Hopefully he’ll have results like Bryce Harper, who came back from a UCL injury much sooner than expected.
Yes it was…and now in SoCal, for miles and miles you can hear Perry’s ring tone for teams asking for Shohei.
I am not a doctor – is a frature as bad as a fracture??
The frature doesn’t look bright.
dont – He was first to report it, that’s all that matters these days ….
First to report the frature? you’re right, the 1st and only exclusive report!
Apparently typos are the only unforgivable sin.
Fratures are crucial when you need to post an article in a hurry and cannot be bothered to do even the simplest form of proofreading or look at the bright red line under a questionable word structure.
Really? 1 typo, and you feel the need to give a run-on sentence because of a simple mistake. I’m not the least bit a grammar police guy or anything, but when you come down on another for 1 typo, a mere mistake as all humans do, and to do it with a run-on sentence, it is just wild.
The only run-on sentence, so called, would be whatever travesty you just seeped out.
I think the distinction is the author gets paid to write. He’s held to a higher standard.
if you know what he means, why bring it up? it’s not like the word he typed meant something different, which could change a paragraph. Happy 4th to all celebrating!
He’s trying to get out information as fast as he can. It’s a speed medium.
One can only hope people are smart enough to discern the meaning. Today, discernment is not common. Condescending nitpicking is all too prevalent.
To sum up, who freaken cares. .
I don’t know exactly how it works at MLBTR, but if they have a deadline or a certain amount of time to write the article and post it, there isn’t a lot – if any – time to proofread it. There are mistakes made in many articles with typos or repetitive words, but most people can figure out, for example, that “feature” means “fracture.”
You don’t pay to come on this site. Enough said.
Also noticed, after reading this post twice that a hamate fracture is never identified as a broken hand, which is a notable omission.
My grandfather joined a frature, a frat for mature people.
Ask Arson Judge, he had a bad frature.
Wonder if this leads to the Angels trading Ohtani if they can’t get him to sign an extension before the deadline
Moreno said 2 weeks before the season he had yet to talk to Ohtani about an extension. That says it all. And no way he gets traded while they’re close, Trout or not.
Moniak slipped on a bar of soap yesterday and broke a toenail. That means they definitely have to trade Ohtani.
Arte won’t trade Ohtani, he’s the only reason people go to Angels games or but their merchandise. You don’t trade your cash cow, you just get draft pick compensation when he signs somewhere else…
No. The last time Trout was injured Arte didn’t trade Ohtani BECAUSE he wouldn’t have anyone to draw fans to the park if he traded Ohtani. If Arte is making the decision, it won’t happen now either even if it might be the best team for the team to win long term. Arte simply doesn’t think that way. .
Ohtani and Trout didn’t once play a full season together.
Angels should trade Ohtani.
Might as well at this point. But knowing how Arte is he would never do it.
The Angels have never built a sustainable farm system; when their frontline players get hurt, it’s always the Adell, Velasquez and Tyler Wade type AAAA replacements.
Jo Adell was a top prospect and still just 24. He’s far from a AAAA player like Velazquez or Wade.
The comparison was laughable. As far as Adell, didn’t he hit around 240 in the PCL last year. Don’t you have to graduate AAA and the fail at the bigs to become a AAAA player?
He’s just about ready to graduate from AAA.
Don’t you have to have success at AAA, be promoted, then fail in the big leagues before being call a AAAA player?
Since this is the first time Adell has been good at AAA, and since Wade and Velasquez are Yankee rejects, I find your post laughable.
At this point, calling Adell a AAAA player might be considered a compliment.
Why? As I keep saying, last year he hit 240 at AAA. Now that he’s had a good AAA season, AAAA is the floor.
Actually this year it’s been different. They’ve suffered a lot of injuries and only now beginning in late June are beginning to recall those types. It just sucks that most of their big injuries have come basically all at once. That’s just bad sequencing.
serious question: if you’re the yankees how much would you give up for 70 games of ohtani?
Nothing of value and would probably ask the Angels to pick up the majority of Ohtani’s remaining salary as that seems to be how Cashman makes trades these days
That is a terrible news. Get better sooner!
Play Adell every day. Let’s see if his adjustments he made, will work at the major league level.
Moniak will play everyday. But I’m sure Adell will receive opportunities to show what he has…
Moniak can’t hit lefties. Renfroe needs to be the one platooning with Moniak
Moniak and Adell should platoon. Moniak hits RHP but cannot hit LHP to save his life. Adell is a RHB. Renfroe needs to play every day.
It won’t he sucks
And people were calling me out for questioning why Mederos was called up. At least its not Wantz or Herget.
Mederos should not have been in that spot yesterday
You claim to have been at the game. If you were or watched you know that Mederos didn’t give up any hard contact.
He walked the first batter. Should have gotten at least one more strike call, but the ump was bad for both teams so you can’t complain too much about that.
Then he gave up a broken bat flare to the OF, a ground ball single off the infielders glove, and a swinging bunt single. Then he was taken out of the game. NOTHING he gave up was hard hit.
Davidson gave up the deep flyball to RF that scored the 2nd run
Mederos will be just fine. .
We’re getting used to watching MLB without the best player in Mike Trout, as he ages and enters his injury decline years with hardly a sniff at the postseason.
Ken Griffey Jr 2.0
He was a better player than Griffey ever was. But it’s possible his career will have a similar arch.
He was not better than Griffey. Trout is/Was good but he’s not better than the Kid.
Griffey played his entire 20’s on Astroturf the likes of which Trout has never had to endure so its understandable leg issues would eventually catch up to him.
Trout is mirroring Andruw Jones; Hall of Fame trajectory, incredible defense, elite power and completely fell apart after turning 30
Of course he was. Just go look at WAR. It wasn’t even close.
Could you imagine Trout in the Kingdome and the Great American small park?
Trout had better offensive numbers but the game and what is valued has radically changed. WAR values things that weren’t always valued and alters perception of players. Case in point if Lou Whitaker was playing right now he would be seen as a much better player than he was in his era. Trout is much closer to Dale Murphy or Eric Davis than Griffey Jr. The gap in defense in Griffey s favor is much larger than the gap in offense in Trout’s favor.
That’s better than he might have gotten hurt. But not much.
Dale Murphy? Seriously? Ok, that’s worse than he could have gotten hurt. And you mention Lou Whitaker… why? The shift would have greatly reduced his value, both offensively and defensively, and he would have hit worse at Comerica as opposed to Tiger stadium.
Not to mention….everyone throws in the mid 90s today.
So rather than these round and round contortions, I’ll just stick with the facts.
Debating all-time greats is rather ridiculous. Trout and Griffey Jr. Are both at the highest level of play possible. That being said, comparing either Trout or Griffey Jr. to Dale Murphy, Andrew Jones or Eric Davis is a BIG disservice to both players.
Baseball has been debating great players forever. Mantle/Mays/Snider for example. Cobb/Ruth. It’s baseball lore. It’s ridiculous to not acknowledge it.
In this example, not much of a debate. They were both great. Saying one wasn’t would be rather ridiculous,
Schmidt was better than Chipper Jones. They were both great.
That’s baseball.
Trout is substantially better than Griffey Jr was through age 30. By 8 WAR.
Phil you are seriously high. WAR is what cuts through the difference between eras when discussing baseball. 3 guys in the history of the game have been as good or better than Trout. That it.
Trout had an 82.4 WAR through his age 30 season. Griffey Jr a 76.2.
Trout has been better.
*arc
Trout has undoubtedly been better than Griffey was through their age 30 seasons.
.303/.415/.587/1.002 slashline 176 OPS+ 350 HR 82.4 WAR
.296/.380/.568/.948 slashline 148 OPS+ 342 HR 76.2 WAR
Jones was at 61 WAR at age 30. He is not even in the conversation.
6.2 WAR ahead of Griffey
Lou Whitaker was quiet and distanced himself from the media and still does. That’s the reason why he doesn’t get the headlines.
I see your point, Eric Davis was an exciting player then he got hurt often. Dale Murphy was not in this category however. He was super durable.
No.
Welcome to the show (again) Joe Adell.
He decided to take the quick money from the Angels rather than take the money from a team that would be able to get him into the playoffs. Everything has a price.
He showed loyalty, and the Angels showed the money.
What’s your point?
Devastating. This team has freakishly bad luck with injuries – Trout, Neto, Drury, Joyce, Moore, O’Hoppe, Urshela, Suarez, Stassi, Quijada….all on the IL.
I heard a couple of weeks ago that O’Hoppe is already throwing. Hopefully he’ll be back soon.
Don’t worry. Once they lose Ohtani and then Trout is still injured, no one will pay attention to the Angels. Hell I bet the attendance drops and no one is going to care about them. Don’t worry though, Arte is going to spend money on has-beens much like Rendon, Pujols, Josh Hamilton. Then keep his Pitching coach who ruins pitchers and have pitchers who leave free agency excel somewhere else. Arte should have sold the Angels.
Who exactly are you referring to when you say “ruins pitchers and have pitchers who leave free agency excel somewhere else?” Alex Cobb?
Andrew Heaney
You can’t compare Heaney because he went to the Yankees where he was horrible, then went to one of the best teams in baseball at developing pitching (for one year), then to Texas, where he’s been the same pitcher as he was on the Angels (lot of strikeouts, a lot of baserunners, a lot of home runs).
Seems it was more on the Dodgers than on Andrew Heaney himself. Unfortunately, the Angels aren’t the Dodgers, but few teams are
I was actually getting excited to see Trout in an all-star game again… feels like he hasn’t been healthy to play in one for 3 or 4 years.
Maybe they can give his all-star roster spot to teammate Brandon Drury. Oh, he just went on the DL too.
Can the Angels ever catch a break?
Angels shoulda traded Trout last off-season and used the money to resign shohei. Oh well.
No one is taking Trout even last year. He’s done. Only hope they had to stay relevant was resigning Ohtani. I hope he joins the Dodgers at least then I can still see him play live. Would be surprised if they don’t trade Ohtani now. But if Arte doesn’t trade him, I can’t blame him. He draws people in and once you trade him, no one will watch the Angels.
I think 25+ teams would gladly take him and his contract.
You are free to think that, but 20 teams can’t afford that contract.
The Padres, who are a small market team, have shown that you are wrong again stymeed. Every team can afford his contract. A handful can’t afford more than 2-3 of those contracts, but every team can afford one.
Trout is so done that he is a top 20 player in baseball.
If you can see a Dodgers game live, you can see a LOS ANGELES Angels game live.
If you were anything other than a troll you would know that Arte is not trading Ohtani. Ohtani fills seats and brings in sponsorship money. That is also why Arte will be at the top of the teams bidding on Ohtani in the offseason.
Go troll a Dodgers thread.
RD – Did you think about what you were typing before hitting “post”?
but are they wrong? I mean Trout has been injured quite a bit and Ohtani is a MVP/Cy Young combo. I think at this point, most teams would rather have Ohtani than Trout if they had to pick 1.
Joe – if that’s to me, yes he is wrong on a technicality. Trout has a 29 team no trade clause. Unless he agrees, any talk of trading him is pointless.
Yes. They are wrong. It’s not the Angels decision. It’s Trout’s decision and he has made it amply clear that he does not want to play elsewhere.
No, not the Dodgers because they want him too much. I hope Ohtani goes to the Mariners. They had a clip of Ohtani talking to Ichiro, who works in the Mariner’s FO, when the Angels were in Seattle. Hopefully he can talk Ohtani into going north.
Avenger – good point re Ichiro. So, afte LA gives the 5 year “but everyone wants to come play for us” offer that Ohtani strains and oblique laughing at, he either goes to SD with Darvish (and maybe Kim doesn’t hurt) or Seattle with ichiro.
I think SD puts the largest contract out there (reason for not extending Soto yet) as they did with Judge and some others recently – as reported anyway.
There’s some people who have thought Boston signed Yoshida as a play to get Ohtani. But overall Seattle should have a strong chance and make a strong case that they would be an ideal franchise for Shohei to sign with…after all, Seattle was his #2 choice last time around, and I would think Seattle’s case only strengthened in the interim. Also think San Diego will make an aggressive push that he will have to seriously contemplate.
Trout can’t be traded without his consent. He wants to stay, so he will stay.
The Angels have over $500 million in annual revenue. They can afford to keep both easily.
He has incredibly bad luck. Angels should just trade Trout & Othani & start over. It’s very bad for baseball having two of their best players not in the playoffs every year
You can’t trade Trout with that contract.
The Angels can’t trade Trout because he won’t waive his full NTC. He is in charge, not the Angels and he wants to stay. Case closed.
Trout put up 6.2 WAR last season. His contract amount would not be an impediment if he decided to waive the NTC.
Trout might agree to waive his NTC if the final destination was the NY Yankees, he’s from Jersey right? I’m sure the potential of a Judge/Trout tandem 1-2 punch would be worth taking seriously and thinking hard and long about. Possibly to the Phillies as another possibility…Harper/Trout 1-2 punch.
More than two of the best players are not in the playoffs every year, but you sure hear Angels fans loudest. The best TEAMS make the playoffs, not the best players. That’s what the All Star Game is for. (if healthy)
Trout isn’t one of their best players anymore ever since he became afraid of his shadow and became a more reliable Joey Gallo at the plate.
Mike is just waiting to come back in mid-September and carry the Angels into the playoffs with a 1.450 OPS in the final month (dying inside). It’s all part of the plan (please put me out of my misery)
For all of you guys who call for the Angels to trade Trout: they can’t. He has a full no-trade clause in his contract and has to agree to a trade.
For all you guys who call for the Angels to trade Ohtani: they won’t. He makes too much money for Moreno. Moreno only cares for his own financial interests, not winning. There is 20 years of precedence to show that. We will have Ohtani through the end of the regular season and lose him to free agency. Once that happens and Moreno’s final cash cow no longer pays out, the team will be sold to a buyer that Moreno has in place already from last winter. That’s my speculation..
Wait? You’re saying the one thing that’ll get Moreno to sell will be Shohei leaving? Well, in that case…
Patrick Soon-Shiong. Moreno will have to clear up his mess with the city of Anaheim and pay the deferred maintenance costs for the stadium before that happens.
The Curse of the Moreno.
So, Moreno owned the team in ‘82, ‘86, ‘95 and when they refused to pay Nolan Ryan $1M?
Huh? The Angels only refused to pay Ryan 1 million in 1979. And if you look at 1975 to 1979, you’ll understand why.
He went 10 years with only one great full season. That was 1977.
Halo – the problem with not paying him lies in the mentality of “he’s only a .500 pitcher” as the justification for not paying him. Pitcher wins meant something back then but really, his innings pitched, SO’s, fan draw for selling seats and merch – in a world where all GM’s are bashed for overpaying and giving long term contracts because they will eventually be an albatross, what a business decision blunder.
I really don’t think that was it. I think that was Bavasi just spewing propaganda, Sour grapes as you will.
I could be wrong.
You are barely touching the surface of evidence and history of the paranormal activity with this team. How about Mo Vaughn, Kendys, Valbuena, Adenhart, Garrett Richards.
Old timers will remember Lyman Bostock, Bruce Heinbechner, Mike Miley, Minnie Rojas, Chico Ruiz…Donnie Moore.
I’m sure i forgot a few…
Skaggs, well, I’ll leave that alone..
Except for Jim McGloughlin, I think you got them all.
You my friend are a long time Angel fan.
Tony Soliata was killed when a satellite dish fell on him.
Tony Soliata! wow, now there is a flashback.
Sorry to hear that. RIP Tony.
Sorry we misspelled.
Let’s honor him correctly.
Tony Solaita!
I wanted to make a point about the bogus “Moreno curse” and not necessarily make an exhaustive list of all the Angels’ historical misfortunes. But good job.
You could have also included Wally Joyner’s shin infection (that most likely cost the Angels an ‘86 World Series appearance), the Josh Hamilton relapse, and the ‘92 bus crash.
Injuries, goes on and on. Fregosi had the same foot tumor as Trout. Modern medicine saved Trout’s career. Bobby Valentine. Tom Egan. Rich Reinhardt, Tanana.
Ok. Gotcha.
But you brought up more good examples.
The bus crash was one of the few strokes of luck though.
That could have turned out way otherwise.
And Wally, man that is some persuasive evidence.
MC – yes thank God no casualties on the bus crash. So, lucky in that regard, but the fact that it occurred to the Angels is no surprise.
M.C.Homer;
Gene Autry bought his Angels:
Rod Carew, 1B
Bobby Grich, 2B
Rick Burelson, SS
Butch Hobson, 3B
Fred Lynn, CF
Brian Downing. LF
Don Baylor, DH
The pitching was typically blah.
They couldn’t win anything then. The saying at the time was
that Anaheim was where quality MLB players in their prime
went to fade away.
You can talk about the injuries; or the coulda, shoulda, woulda.
The Angels won when Disney let Bill Stoneman and Mike Scioscia alone – they played NL-style baseball (at the time) in the AL, and won a championship.
The franchise has had 3 owners – 2 of which interfered with their front offices, spent a lot of money on some players they liked, and never won anything.
I believe that at one time, Fregosi had the top of his cleats cutoff to relieve the pressure so he could play.
According to WAR, he was the second best position player in the AL in 197o. He tried to play with it in 71 and delayed surgery, his speed was gone.
Without that tumor, he’s easily a Hall of Famer.
Tony Solaita was shot. You’re thinking Bo Diaz
Yeah, they won the WS after all of those. I was only referring to the misfortune that befalls the Angels whenever Arte plunks down max money for long term contracts to position players.
Except for Vlad.
and Torii Hunter
I knew I was missing one. I don’t think there record is so much worse than other team.
How many teams have a Cy Young and MVP award winner?
Dangit, two seasons in a row right before the Angels-Braves series… still wont get to see him play
Trout Out. Face of the Franchise. Ohtani killing it. Face of the Franchise Now. If they want to keep him. 14 years 700 Mil. Period. Maybe more. Trout, unfortunately, is old news with this team.
I love Trout, but you’re right, Ohtani is the face (and leader) of the franchise now. As long as Ohtani keeps playing, there is still hope. Moniak should do well filling in for Trout – he’s been very impressive this season.
I really have a hard time believing someone with a 12 to 1 to bb rate and a 31 percent strikeout rate is going to be an above average major league player,
The same questions people have about Adell should also be the same questions the have for Moniak.
Halo11 – yes Moniak’s strikeout ratio is terrible (Brandon Marsh territory); he needs to improve on the discipline but I suspect it’s an organizational thing with the Angels staff encouraging aggressiveness at the plate.
Hopefully, platooning Moniak and Adell (limiting each to righties and lefties respectively) will help them offensively and improve their plate confidence and discipline…
At least Trout can count on being restored to the “face of the franchise” status in about 3 months!
No, I don’t think Moreno will trade Ohtani but, I do think they should request from all teams their “best offer” just to see what the future might look like. They can at least claim they didn’t get what they were looking for if they keep him just to sell tickets for 3 months for appearances.
If he was going to stay he would have extended ala Trout. If Moreno was going to offer that big contract he would have done it months ago for the optics if nothing else.
Just hope it’s Seattle or SD and not LA or SF. The presumption being west coast is preferred. Maybe that is why Preller extended Darvish to get even more bargaining chips. Probably getting the grand tour of SD this week! Manny and Soto showing him prime Coronado lots to build a 50 mil house on!
If they don’t trade Ohtani they get nothing. This is madness. He’s not resigning on a team that now looks like it will finish 4th– so trade him. They will get three quality assets and save $50M they can spend in free agency. Trade Drury, Renfroe, Ward, Moore, Devenski, Moustakas and anyone else not named Detmers, Moniak, O’Hoppe and Neto. Buy Rendon out. Replace with a top 3rd base prospect you trade for.
Ohtani is only the face of the Franchise if he has more than three great seasons as an Angel. Which won’t happen.
Moniak will only start against RHP. He will sit against LHP like he has done since being called up.
There is no hope. They lost their entire infield and it’s backup. Rendon can’t stay on the field and Fletcher is not the answer. Drury should be traded for assets– he will command a nice return. Walsh had one good year and is having trouble. O’Hoppe is hurt and Wallach has come back down to earth. Thaiss is a backup. Trout is now gone and Ward should be traded while he has value and the same with renfore who will walk in October for nothing. They have several relievers who have good trade value– Estevez, Moore, Devenski. Several of these player walk in October for nothing.
$700m seems a little low for Ohtani, especially when the home for the aged has put out over $400m for Scherzer and Verlander. Also, if Soto gets a $400m extension, Ohtani’s price will go up.
Just over $200 million for Scherzer and Verlander. Soto should get at least $400 million, mostly because of his age. A 14 year extension at a bargain basement AAV for superstars of $30 million is still $420 million. That would take him through his age 38 season. If he makes it to FA it will be more than that.
$200m for Scherzer and $200m for Verlander adds up to $400m.
3 years for Scherzer at $43 million. 2 years for Verlander at $43 million. $215 million guaranteed total.
Thank you. Was just about to type out their contracts and you beat me to it.
Max Scherzer rhp
3 years/$130M (2022-24)
Justin Verlander rhp
2 years/$86,666,666 (2023-24)
Hey guy, it’s not Monopoly money. $700M? He will get injured at some point. How do you fill out the rest of the team at the price? They can’t afford what he will command and this team needs help in several areas. It’s painful, but they must trade him or get nothing and set the franchise back several years.
You have been shown clearly by several people on several articles here that losing Ohtani will not set the Angels back years and you continue with that stale line. Why?
The Angels are a grease fire
Dumb Sports Fans want Trout and Ohtani traded while the Angels are sniffing at a wild card. Going into 4th of July, the Angels were 3 games back of both the Astros and Yankees.
Unfortunately, the Angels have been slumping over their last 10 games or so. They were ahead of New York and Houston but are starting to fall behind. Not being able to win “easy” series vs Colorado and Chicago is hurting them.
I was hopeful the first half of June that the team pitching staff had figured it out, but the last few weeks have shown me the real team, and there’s very little chance the team will get in as a wild card.
How do you fracture your hamate bone swinging the bat?
Happens a lot, as it turns out:
proxr.com/baseballs-hamate-injuryplague/
Didn’t know. Thanks.
A lot is relative. Hamate fractures from swinging happen more than the average fan would think but not more than many other injuries.
@longtimecoming no it’s not usually from the ball hitting the bone just right
I think from the ball coming off said swung bat and hitting said hamate bone – probably “just right”.
The ball came no where near his hand.
You know with being adamant about not trading Ohtani you wonder if they don’t have a contact already in place and aren’t announcing it. Boy that would really mess up teams off-season. it would be brilliant.
Bad news, but Trout is the worst clutch hitting best player in the game. His impact on the Angels making the postseason this season or any other is tiny. He’s proven it time and again.
I agree about the clutch thing.
But that’s not always been about Trout.
He doesn’t get great pitches to hit in high leverage situations, never has, even with Ohtani behind him.
The difference I’ve seen this year is Mike is either not swinging or not making contact with those “mistake” pitches in the zone
I completely disagree. This is evidence that people can’t tell the difference between a 300 hitter and a 250 hitter by observation alone.
WPA is a a cumulative stat. Trout is 13th in baseball since 1980. No one ahead of him is still active. That’s pretty good for a team that doesn’t win.
He has a 984 OPS in high leverage situations.
@M.C. Homer…love your screen name, I just noticed it, or it just sunk in. LOL…totally next level +1
Trout with RISP
.309/.456/.602/1.058
In high leverage situations
.294/.425/.557/.982
He leads baseball in wRC+. That is runs created.
Who do you think has been better?
From the stats posted below, it looks like Trout has proven the exact opposite of what you tried to claim.
Ohtani wants to play for a winning team more than the 600 million the Angels will likely offer. On the other side of the coin Trout seemingly prefered a comfort zone more than money, because he turned down way more money (than he got from the Angels) to return to a mediocre organization.
Bummer though for Trout and Angels and baseball fans in general.
The Angels can get the greatest haul in the history of baseball for two months of Ohtani versus jack squat. If they don’t trade Ohtani they are the biggest idiots ever.
The irony is the haul the Angels would receive would encourage Ohtani to sign with the Angels way more than otherwise.
Trout was never a free agent so who’s money did he turn down?
He signed his extension in 2019 when he would’ve been a free agent after the 2020 season. He left so much money on the table.
Most of us already know that. You didn’t answer the question. Was there another team which threw out a number at Trout bc that would be considered tampering?
I bet anything Trout misses the rest of the season. The guy just cannot stay healthy. Also way overrated. Not the best player in the game and never was. He is pushed because he is a golden boy and fits the image MLB wants. They still don’t want dreadlocks and flamboyance. You can’t market Trout because he is boring. Just wants to play, lose and go home to Millville NJ and eat 6 burgers at the same ol diner
Way overrated? Thanks for the laugh.
Jealousy can really affect ones mental health.
Nice veiled racist comment, Seamus.
What an immature and jealous bozo.
Here is the list of players that have been as good or better through age 30 as Trout has been.
Mickey Mantle
Jimmie Foxx
Mel Ott
Alex Rodriguez, Ted Williams, and Hank Aaron were within 5 WAR on the list behind Trout.
He is in elite company. If he retired today, he would be elected on the first ballot.
Not sure what he was supposed to do to be rated correctly in your eyes.
Top shelf trolling.
The Halos just can’t get a break. Or maybe they can? Adell has been hitting better and can show what he’s got while Trout is out. Just sucks cause I wanted to see Trout in the All Star game this season. Halos just can’t have nice things…let’s get some popcorn and see how the next few weeks play out. As much as I want to see us keep Ohtani, my gut says he won’t stay and we can’t win with him. Let’s see what we can get for him and do a mini rebuild.
This is the only type of break we ever get!
Someone talk to Jobu or make an offering.
U R not Nuts.
Move the stadium…
Just when Trout was just starting to hit at his old level again. His OPS was nearly 1.100 over his last 15 games.
Agree Sad!
He was hitting .371 since the Colorado series (not counting the AB where he got injured last night).
Trout was well on his way to hitting 35 HRs and 85 RBI.
Now he’ll be lucky to play the last few weeks of the season.
It’s early July. At the latest he will be back mid-August
He’ll be out 6-8 weeks. Realistically, he won’t be back until early September. Late August, if he recovers quickly… plus whatever time on a rehab assignment.
4-8 weeks. Nevin they are shooting for a mid-August return. He shouldn’t need time in the minors.
“Mid-August”, “4 weeks”… seems a little rushed to me. But I’ll leave it to the experts.
Mid-August is 6 weeks. I think he is saying that’s what his manager said after the surgery. While hearing from his doctor directly would be more of an expert, his manager is as good as we are going to get.
No matter what his return time is, I’m going to miss seeing him while we are there. BOOOOOO! Hopefully Ohtani is healthy.
Yep, .950 OPS and 100 runs scored.
Seems like the last 5 years Trout and Kershaw have spent significant time on the IL. I doubt we get a full season from either one in the future.
Tdat – you aren’t wrong but really, it’s that getting old (relative to the playing age of the sport) with a lot of mileage thing so not really surprising either. Trout maybe not as much but still it’s just happening a little earlier for him which is not really uncommon at his age.
I think it is just more pronounced when the drop is from elite of the elite status to just a regular all star level like these 2 examples.
Time to come to the Real LA… trout chose loyalty and will never win…
1988 is a long time ago. But I’m sure you’re content with 2020*.
Currently, the club is 45-42, three games back of the Sign Stealers for the final Wild Card spot in the American League, with the Blue Jays in between them.
And the Mariners right at their hind quarters & nipping at their bud
Next to the Judge injury, very. Bad! The whole fandom hurts when a HOF cannot play. Angels likely toast for playoffs. Sorry for everyone!. One of the Best in baseball when healthy.
Should retire at this point. Always injured. Either that or go back to stealing bases and playing defense. If he’s going to get hurt anyway, might as well stop being a one tool has been.
Dude, are you high? Trout has better numbers than most of the stars– Soto, Machado and down the line. And he got off to a slow start. Trade him, fine, but retire? And what is wrong with his defense? The reason he doesn’t steal is the team’s decision, not him. I agree it makes no sense– he sprints on the bases and in the outfield, so why is stealing bases more dangerous? It’s not. He should have at minimum 20 SB a season.
The season is officially over. No way they make the playoffs now– it’s impossible. Is Moreno going to listen to the GM who has to be saying sell everyone and reload the system? Taylor Ward, Renfroe, Drury, Moore, Devenski, starters not named Detmers, and OHTANI must be traded or many of these guys walk and we get nothing. These players will yield back a bumper crop of talent and we have their money to spend in free agency– this is a no-brainer.
An answer: Likely not! Mr. Moreno just spends money with little insight,in my opinion. He does not develop the minors and only trades for players overpaid and not in their prime part of career.
That is spot on! The Angels will only be successful when Moreno sells the team to an owner that actually understands baseball, and starts to redevelop a farm system. The FO has been worthless for YEARS! Minasian is an empty suit yes man that ran Joe Maddon out, you see how worthless Eppler is for the Mets, and DiPoto is nothing more than a slight of hand magician who distracts M’s fans with numerous trades.
Minasian stood up to Arte and told him no about bidding on a top shortstop this past offseason and instead spent that money on depth. Guys like Renfroe, Urshela, and Drury. Minassian has huevos.
Leftfield, exactly this. $30 million for Trea Turner or $60 million on 12 players to fill out your 40-man. Seems like a no-brainer to me
@brooklyn Dipoto hasn’t made any more trades than the average GM/PBO over the last 12 months. Nobody is confused. Dipoto knows what he’s doing, it’s just with the Angels there was too much interference from Mr. Moreno and wasn’t able to fully realize his vision with that franchise, due to the owner & whatever was up with Mike Scioscia.
The Angels are an irritating franchise. Sign free agents past their prime, Trout gets hurt, and no pitching to be found on the roster. The same mistakes & factors on repeat. Angels must trade Ohtani or they’re looking at a lost decade hunting from well behind in the wildcard wilderness.
Death, taxes and Trout getting injured.
Let the Ohtani sweepstakes begin!!!
I really root for Trout. The injuries are getting common lately for him. I want to see how high that career WAR can go. He’s the guy with the shot at getting up there close towards the top (at least well above 100). Hope he stays healthy. Already tied with Chipper Jones at age 31 with 85.3 WAR. Such ashame the Angels never knew how to build a team around him.
They weren’t making the playoffs anyways.
Crazy how you can have the 2 best players in baseball on the same and can’t get to the postseason. One of the reasons why MLB hasn’t grown in over a decade.
Could you imagine a prime LeBron and Durant being on the same team and going 35-47 and missing the playoffs?
Basketball is a totally different kind of sport from Baseball if ya hadn’t noticed meat.
DarrenDreifortsContract;
LOL
1. MLB has grown tremendously over the past decade – arguably more so than the other pro team sports.
2. Let me help you here…..
Lebron and Durant on the same team would take 80% of the shots…..minimum.
Ohtani and Trout each bat once every 9 hitters – 22% of the time.
Apparently you don’t understand the most fundamental aspects of the sport.
2 of 13 in NBA vs 2 of 26 in MLB.
Guessing you can see why just having 2 of the best won’t impact an MLB team as much as it can in the NBA.
Uh oh spaghetti oh
If the Cubs fall out of it, why not try a Bellinger/Gomes package?
Reading some of the comments here – how about we establish a 14-years of age minimum to post?
14 is too low. Let them be drinking age! Of course, if they’re already drunk, that negates the whole idea lol