It’s possible we’ve seen the last of longtime major league slugger Mark Trumbo. Out all season on account of right knee problems, Trumbo has halted his rehab assignment because of “discomfort” and is now aiming for a September return, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Regardless of whether he makes it back this year, Trumbo could elect to retire at season’s end, Kubatko writes.
Asked about his future, Trumbo said: “I don’t know. Probably going to have to see a little bit of improvement with the health. If the symptoms don’t subside, it will probably be pretty tough, but if I can get some relief and feel like I did a few years ago, I think it would be something worthwhile.”
We’re nearing the one-year anniversary of Trumbo’s September 2018 knee surgery. The joint troubled Trumbo throughout last season prior to the procedure, and it hasn’t responded as hoped since he went under the knife. Trumbo divided 2018 among three positions – designated hitter (his primary spot), right field and first base – and slashed .261/.313/.452 (107 wRC+) with 17 home runs in 358 plate appearances. That was a step up from the output Trumbo offered in 2017, the first season of a three-year, $37.5MM contract.
In 2016, Trumbo’s initial season as an Oriole, the former Angel, Diamondback and Mariner racked up a major league-best 47 homers. That convinced the Orioles to bring him back after a long standoff in free agency, but thanks to knee issues and unspectacular performance, the deal has been a failure for the O’s. Of course, the club has launched a full rebuild since re-upping Trumbo, so it wouldn’t make much difference in the standings if he were hitting at peak levels.
Should Trumbo attempt to continue his career past this season, it’s fair to wonder whether the soon-to-be 34-year-old will draw much of any interest on the open market. Even without his knee factored in, free agency hasn’t been kind of late to defensively limited 30-somethings. Trumbo was never an asset in the outfield even before injuries derailed his career, and it now seems probable he’ll be stuck at DH if he does stay in the game. With that in mind, it’ll likely be difficult for him to find work.
twinsfan368
Bout time
halofan20
Chill bro.
mrmaster1
Yeah, chill bro..
sethsz
f u
Vizionaire
best of luck. i enjoyed your play while with the angels.
dimitrios in la
Loved his play with the Orioles. Three outstanding years.
halofan20
Miss you in the Angels, should of never traded you away Mark, I will forever be a fan of you and the TRUMBOMBS !!
julyn82001
Just curious, how much is he making??? Poor O’s.
Paul Heyman
He’s making $12.5mil this year, and there’s probably a good chunk of it left to.
Irishblade
That’s not Paul Heyman.
mrmaster1
Why are people so concerned about how much money these guys make? Lat I checked, ya’ll are not paying his salary. Maybe those “fans” can offer up their crystal ball and predict when a player will decline and break down. Then you can report to the GM and owners on how to approach contracts. I swear people are just jealous, envious and angry because they hate their own crappy jobs.
Trevor 3
You mad bro?
toomuchpie
Click on his name and look for yourself on his BR page.
mfm420
13.5 million this year, but with 1.5 million deferred. he deferred 1.5 million in each of the 3 years, so they’ll still be paying him through 2022
VegasSDfan
Because next season would be a 1 year deal in the 3-5 million range.
bbatardo
More like minor league deal with invite to spring training lol
jbigz12
Nobody is going to guarantee Trumbo and his bad knees 3 million bucks at this point. Adam Jones barely got that with 2 good knees. He’d have to fight for a job in ST. He’s made 62 MM bucks in his career so I’m sure he can do so.
Dom2
Bye!
robluca21
I bet he would hit 50 bombs in Korea and become a fan favorite
Ejemp2006
Nope. Hitting off-speed pitches and decoding deception are the keys in Korea.
birdsfan415
NOOOOO
The Human Toilet
He still playing?
oriole
Like we didn’t already know this
HaloShane
Okay… and?
mrmaster1
Another jealous hater.. Lol
cgallant
I forgot this dude was still around