Mike Trout. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Los Angeles Angels are open to trading star outfielder Mike Trout if he wants out. Trout does have a full no-trade clause so he would have final say on his fate. Recently, Trout said he wants to have a conversation with the Angels’ front office and management and the franchise’s direction.
It is no secret Trout has been arguably the best player of the last decade-plus. He ranks 52nd all-time in Baseball Reference’s Wins Above Replacement statistic. However, injuries these past fews seasons has limited Trout to from posting a season of more than 500 at-bats since 2019. Regardless, when he has been on the field, the 11-time All Star and three-time MVP is arguably the most valuable player in the game.
The Angels, who have only made the playoffs once since Trout joined the team, are headed toward their ninth-straight season without the postseason. The team took an uber-aggressive approach at the deadline selling off several key pieces of the farm in exchange for several rental players to help make a postseason run.
However, since the deadline, they have fallen flat. On August 1, the Angels were 56-52 three games back from the last Wild Card spot. Since that trade deadline day, the Angels have gone 10-25 now trailing in the Wild Card race by 13.5 games. The team has since put several pieces, including some they acquired at the deadline, on waiver, admitting defeat once again.
To top everything off, the team is likely to lose soon to be two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani to free agency furthering back the trajectory of the franchise. With all this, it is no surprise to see Trout’s future in question with the organization.
All eyes will certainly be on the Vineland, New Jersey native if the above mentioned report turns out to be true and he is indeed on the block come the offseason.
