Will Mike Trout, 32, leave the Los Angeles Angels this offseason?
Trout, whose season was cut short by a palmar metacarpal injury, recently addressed the rumored trade.
Trout gave an official interview to local media before the Angels’ home game against the Texas Rangers on April 26 at Angels Stadium. First of all, Trout said, “It’s very unfortunate that I didn’t play well this season due to injury. I’m feeling better now, but I wanted to come back, and (not coming back) was a hard thing to deal with,” he said.
He fractured the metacarpal bone in his left hand while swinging at a pitch against the San Diego Padres on July 4. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation, he returned to the field on Aug. 23, but was placed back on the disabled list (IL) after aggravating the injury. He continued to rehabilitate in hopes of returning, but his condition did not improve, and his season was officially over.
In 82 games this season, he batted .263 (81-for-308) with 18 home runs, 44 RBIs, 54 runs scored, and an OPS of .858. His OPS was his lowest since 2011 (.672), when he made his major league debut.
Over the last three years, Trout has a 48.8% plate discipline rate (playing time as a percentage of team games). He has played in 237 of the team’s 486 games, less than half the time. In 2021, he suffered a season-ending right calf injury while rounding third base in a May game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and last year he spent over a month on the IL with a back injury before the All-Star break. Last season, however, he caught fire after returning in the second half, eventually hitting .283 with 40 homers, 80 RBIs and a .999 OPS in 119 games, reminiscent of his last MVP season in 2019.
The trade rumors started two weeks ago. “For perhaps the first time, the Angels are willing to trade Trout if he wants out,” USA Today’s Bob Nightingale reported on Nov. 11, noting that Trout “recently said he wants to meet with front office officials and the owner to talk about the direction of the team.
“If it (a trade) comes up in the offseason, I’ll talk to the organization and think about it,” Trout told the Orange County Register earlier this month, adding, “I haven’t thought about it yet, (but) it’s definitely going to come up this winter. You have to hear what their overall direction is, what their plans are.” He could ask for a trade.
However, a trade is unlikely. Trout has had a lot of physical issues lately, with frequent injuries, and his remaining salary is astronomical. Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million extension before the start of the 2019 season. He’ll make $37.1 million per year for the remaining seven years, from next year through 2030. What’s more, Trout has a full no-trade right, meaning the Angels can’t do anything about it.
“I sit down with (owner) Art Moreno and (president) John Capino personally every year and have a conversation. I’ve done the same thing for the last 13 years,” he said, adding, “Going into the offseason, my goal is to come into spring training and put on an Angels uniform. Same thing next year.”안전놀이터
When asked about the possibility of waiving his no-trade clause, he said, “I still have seven years left on my contract. I know a lot of things are being said out there. Like I said, it’s the same every year. At the end of the season, I take two or three weeks off to be with my family, to get my mind right. Then you talk to the club. Nothing changes,” he said.
MLB.com reported, “Trout didn’t explicitly say he didn’t want to be traded. He only reiterated that his timetable for this offseason won’t change,” meaning he hasn’t closed the door on a trade.
The Angels will likely lose their best superstar, Shohei Ohtani, to free agency in about two months. The Angels are also planning to move their best player of the past six years. After nine straight losing seasons, it’s time to start rebuilding.