Mike Trout’s last health update came in late June, when the Angels superstar was aiming to return to action before the end of July. That timeline appears to be coming into focus, as MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes (via X) that Trout could be back in the Angels’ lineup before the end of the week. The first step is facing live pitching at the Angels’ Spring Training complex this weekend, and Trout is then expected to start a Triple-A rehab assignment on Monday.
Bollinger suggests that Trout could be activated from the 60-day injured list on Thursday, when the Halos return home to start a four-game series with the A’s. Assuming this date holds up, that would make it almost exactly three months since Trout’s last game, as the outfielder last took the field on April 29 before suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. The injury required surgery and another lengthy absence for Trout, which has unfortunately become far too common an occurrence for the three-time AL MVP. Between a right calf strain, back issues, a left hamate fracture, and now this knee surgery, Trout has played in only 266 games since the start of the 2021 season.
In typical fashion, Trout has still been outstanding in that limited playing time, posting a .951 OPS over 1133 plate appearances since Opening Day 2021. Those numbers include 10 homers and a .220/.325/.541 slash line in 126 plate appearances this season, and while this translates to a 138 wRC+, that impressive number still counts as a step down from Trout’s usual level of Cooperstown-esque production. Trout was making much less hard contact than usual but also with a drastic reduction in his strikeouts.
While it may be overstating things to read too deeply into a 126-PA sample size, some kind of dropoff is perhaps inevitable given Trout’s age (33 in August), his recent injury history, and simply the fact that only a few players in baseball history have ever kept Trout’s prior level of production over a longer period of time. Trout’s 135 wRC+ over the last two seasons comes on the heels of a 174 wRC+ and a .305/.418/.592 slash line from 2012-22.
Of course, Los Angeles reached the playoffs just once during that 11-year run, and the team hasn’t had a winning season since 2015. Trout will return to another lost season, as the Angels have languished to a 41-56 record and are again looking to sell at the deadline, albeit in perhaps a somewhat limited fashion. Finishing out the year in his usual form and in good health would provide Trout with a nice platform for 2025, though questions will persist about how long Trout might continue putting up with the Halos’ struggles before asking for a trade. Or, if a deal would be feasible given how Angels owner Arte Moreno has long resisted rebuilding, plus how Trout’s huge remaining contract ($212.7MM over the 2025-30 seasons) and his health history would certainly make interested suitors wary of taking on such a big salary commitment.
Welcome back, Mike.
I bet his next injury will be a hamstring strain running around the bases that will end his season
But it’s nice that he is back (for now) it’s sad he’s always back on a losing team
It took 24 games! Thats an absolutely insane record.
Ken Griffey Jr 2.0
As in Hall of Fame Ken Griffey Jr. I can live with that. He can still have several (even partial) seasons of good production left.
Awesome. It’s so great watching him play.
That was a long 10 IL stint –
Might as well have been the 60 dayer.
Hope he returns to mashing the baseball!
He was supposed to be out for 4-6 weeks but that turned into 3 months.
He was on 60 day IL. Torn meniscus is 8-12 weeks if surgically repaired. Not sure if I would rush to get back to playing with the Angels either.
Love watching Mike play. We haven’t gotten to see near enough of him playing in recent years. Hoping for a healthy rest ofb the season.
Correct , sir. My fantasy site never updated to the 60. It was and is still stuck on 10.
Excited for his fans to see him back on the field.
It might be time to find a new fantasy site if they can’t keep that simple information straight.
Trout to the Phillies sure would be exciting. Hometown kid. The Phillies are rumored to be looking for a player almost exactly like him. Obviously the money would have to be worked out but sure seems like a deal that could make sense for everyone.
Who knows which way the wind blows with Arte Moreno’s Angels. I think he will ask for a trade this offseason. Philly would seem like the ideal spot.
Here we go. Once again a Philly fan in “their” wishful thinking. (Footnote: I am a Philly fan too, but have listened to all of Trout’s comments over the years and realizes the true fact.)
He does not want to play in Philly. NOT because he doesn’t like Philly. We all know he loves Philly, by his love of going to Eagles games. But because he prefers the lesser spotlight and attention on him and his game. He prefers to live a normal life during the baseball season while playing.
If he came to play for the Phillies. All the focus would be on him everywhere he would go. This is why he chose the Angels in the first place. A laid back, lessor media hyped team, and he can live a normal life while walking around California without fans coming up to him constantly wanting his attention and talking to him about baseball and/or the Eagles 365 days a year.
I hear this loud and clear from him and can fully understand this with him.
The absolutely only chance I ever see him coming to play for the Phillies would be in his final playing year of his career. As a one last hoorah of a baseball career and to be able to actually say he played for his hometown Phillies. With only a ONE year huge fan fare farewell.
But even that chance I place at a 50-50 chance. Because he appears to be very intelligent, well thought out and not self centered player. So, there is an excellent chance he will not want to be using his playing time on the Phillies as a non-productive player at the end of his career just for the fan, media hyped glory taking away of another potential up and coming player’s time at the major league level.
Wake up Phillies fans and truly listen to Mike’s wishes and stop living on “your own” dreams.
I am not a Phillies fan knucklehead
Well, at least you got that right. I AM a knucklehead.
@Blackpink: We all know you’re a Cardinals fan, judging by the amount of times you’ve commented with “As a Cards fan”. And also, Trout isn’t going to the Phillies, knucklehead.
How about a trade that centers around Trout for Castellanos and Walker? The Angels could take on what appear to be 2 bad contracts that both run through 2026 just like Rendons contract. They can then plan on being competitive again. They get out of the end of Trouts contract or at least most of it. Lot of money involved and perhaps some more players but something like that could make sense.
Trout’s contract is underwater, but not that far underwater.
Trouts contract runs until 2030. Those other contracts end after 2026. The idea is the Phillies get better now paf for it later the Angels get worse now and after 2026 can compete again.
It will take the Angels into the next decade before they will compete. They have four legitimate players now. Neto, Shanuel, O’Hoppe and Joyce. They have literally nothing in AAA and only a couple of promising prospects in AA.
Until Moreno either commits to a rebuild and hires a PBO, they
will be looking up at the rest of the AL.
Moreno needs to sell to s group that cares about winning.
Trading Trout for a couple bad contracts would be committing to a rebuild. They do this stuff in the NBA. The Angels aren’t poor they can afford to pay for some bad contracts now if it saves them money later. By 2027 there would be no more bad money on the books and more top draft picks to help.
The Angels are not going to save $150M for the likes of Castellanos and Walker. Unless Trout starts asking out of Anaheim publicly, they’ll keep him around to bolster attendance.
Arte’s not a baseball man, he’s a billboard man. Even in his advanced age he knows that fans come to see Trout. They’re not coming to see Mickey Moniak’s very belted sophomore slump.
Also, seriously, stop trying to dump Castellanos on us, we have Kevin Pillar who in spite of the recent slump is still hitting far better overall and provides veteran leadership on a team full of kids. Also, Walker is on the IL isn’t he? And signed through 2026? Remember that we can’t develop players, and Arte basically used the pandemic to get rid of most of our scouts so we go into drafts pretty much blind. Even Jose Suarez would do better and he’s down in AAA because he’s been bad since the pandemic season, which was the last time Walker was any good as well, except you know, the half decade+ age difference and salary.
Even if Perry does the trade which would never happen, Arte would call up John Carpino and fire Perry before Trouty’s got his bags packed.. Arte already got the mayor and a city councilman in federal prison, he’s not good at making baseball decisions, but he doesn’t waffle on decisions unless it’s about selling the team. Care to buy the team?
Fans want to see winning baseball. They showed up back in the Salmon and Glaus days. Fans want to support a winner.
Great day for baseball, Trout is one of the best players in the game. He won’t save the Angels but he’ll help attendance
People talk about how bad Owners like Nutting is but how bad is Arte? last time they were in the playoffs was 2014. With the Best Player(s) in base ball they haven’t hit .500 since 2015 with a higher than average payroll.
Trade Mike to the Pirates. Even a Trout with one arm in a cast wearing a neck brace can out perform some of the people we put out in the outfield 🙂
anyway, go get’m Mike!
“Trade Mike to the Pirates. Even a Trout with one arm in a cast wearing a neck brace can out perform some of the people we put out in the outfield”
Really? This current Pirates team were able to beat the best team in baseball Phillies team in their first two games of the weekend series and will probably be sweep the Phillies this weekend. And that is even with old man McCutchen on their team. No offense Cutch. I love you as a player and what you have done over the years for the Pirates and baseball! But this Phillies team should be able to handle your Pirates and have won 2 out of 3 games this weekend.
The Pirates don’t need a Trout with one arm in a cast wearing a neck brace to win.
3 htis out of 15 ABs of players not named Reynolds. in those two games. also only ~25hits for the July to the point of this writing. Yes they need OF offense. Where it comes from doesn’t really matter, I just like Mike 🙂
Free the man, Arte.
It’s very convenient he’s coming back just in time to get a few games before the deadline. So the obvious question is: Are the Cardinals trading for Mike Trout. Seems like a Mozaliak move.
Sounds much more like a ridiculous question than an obvious one.
The Angels are a train wreck, but isn’t Trout part of the problem given he’s played over 82 games once since 2019?
I’m really torn about this Trout situation. He’s a class guy and loyal but he’s never helping this franchise win anything so would it best for both parties to move on? Or is he just that comfortable there and that much of a franchise icon that it’s best he stays? Is it Moreno that won’t let him go or is it that Trout doesn’t want to leave? Or both? And if he did move on who the heck would want an aging, always injured star with that kind of contract? Maybe the Dodgers would be the best spot? He stays in Cali and they have the deep pocket books and are already used to having half their players injured all the time anyway. I’d just love to see Trout have one more fully healthy season to perform before he retires. He deserves it if anyone does.
Whatever. Over the hill, quickly declining lazy has-been. It’s not even noticed that much anymore when he’s on the IL. Irrelevant.