One month to the day after Mike Trout suffered a right calf strain, his injury rehab is “going good, I feel great,” the star outfielder said as part of an in-game interview during tonight’s Tigers/Angels game (hat tip to Brent Maguire). Trout is looking to “hopefully start some baseball activity in the next few days and go from there,” though he stressed that he is waiting to get the green light from doctors before going ahead with any sort of running drills.
Trout’s injury carried a rough timeline of 6-8 weeks, so if Trout is indeed almost on the verge of starting baseball activities after a month, that is a good sign that he might be back on the low end of that estimated absence.
Obviously the sooner Trout is able to return the better for the Angels, who took a 33-35 record into tonight’s contest with Detroit. A recent six-game winning streak gave the Halos a winning record for the first time since May 1, though three consecutive losses has brought them back under the .500 mark. Nine games back of the division lead and seven games back of the second AL wild card spot, Anaheim needs to make up at least some of that ground by the time Trout returns to have any chance at the postseason. If not, the Angels could be deadline sellers and staring at their seven consecutive season without any playoff baseball.
2021 was on pace to be perhaps Trout’s best season yet, considering that his 194 wRC+/OPS+ at the time of his injury represented a new career best. (In baseball history, the list of players with full seasons better than 194 wRC+ is not a long one.) Trout was hitting .333/.466/.624 with eight home runs over his first 146 plate appearances, and it’s fair to guess that the Angels would be a bigger factor in the AL West race if he had been healthy over the last month, though the Halos have been a respectable 15-13 since Trout hit the injured list.
Trout is like a soup that’s missing salt.
solt’s bad for you.
Huh? Sun tea is awesome.
TRADE HIM AND RESTOCK THE FARM AND PITCHING STAFF.
Yeah, trade the greatest player in franchise history, and the best of his generation, for a bunch of unproven prospects, makes a lot of sense.
But it sounds like a great idea when conveyed in ALL CAPS.
I AGREE
How about trade him for the entire Rays team? Somehow it would would still work out in the Rays favor. They still wouldn’t raise payroll but would get enough guys around him to get into the playoffs. The Angels would still finish 3rd in the AL West. Perfect on both sides
Yea because they are so good with him.
And you think they’d be better without him? If your team is gonna suck, at least put on entertaining product on the field. Angels always do with Trout and Ohtani.
Yep, first on the highlight reels. Fourth in the standings. Things are working out well.
Haven’t they been better since he’s been on the Disabled List? Asking for a friend.
The Angels are near 500 without Trout, Rendon, and a bullpen. If Perry did something about the bullpen they probably be fighting for a division lead.
It blows my mind how many people don’t see this, with a bullpen they win two out of three against the A’s instead of getting swept.
Dumbest off-season any Angel GM has ever had.
Par for the course as they’ve repeatedly ignored pitching.
Their starters have been fine. The bullpen and the defense have been ATROCIOUS
Yep, their starters put them in good position to win a lot more than they don’t. They are seldom the reason they win, but they are typically not the reason they lose.
Not really. Quintana was horrible earlier. Canning has been up and down, same with Heaney. Not sure what you’re talking about.
I agree on Quintana….Bundy was good early and bad his last 2 or 3…Canning and Heaney are hitting their stride… Cobb battles..and Ohtani is Ohtani..
Maddon has too short a leash..
Quintana and Cobb are two great examples of the dumbest off-season in Angel history. Had he tried to solve the positions in house and screened the pen, the Angels Starters andBullpen would be better.
I took heat all off-season for suggesting this, I hope everyone realizes my assessments were accurate. That’s not touting me, it simply shows the incompetence of Perry.
“Dumbest” is a strong word considering 2006 included Gary Matthew’s Jr and 2012 was Josh Hamilton.
The 2020-2021 offseason would include some of the greatest lost opportunities but the “dumbest” crown certainly lies elsewhere.
DO A BLOCKBUSTER TRADE FOR ALBERT PUJOLS!
Dodgers will never give up Pujols. He is too valuable
Pujols going to the HOF with a Dodgers hat, right?
All baseball fans can agree that it’s unfair to make Trout play on perennial losers.
1 time only, let this man void his contract.
Free Mike Trout!
If you remember, Trout chose to play his career in Anaheim with a no trade clause so no one is making him play there as you state.
I’ve never heard of him complaining either about team.
And part of that makeup is why he’s the highest paid player in the game. He’s a team-first guy.
No, all baseball fans do not agree. He is a great player with a mediocre franchise.
I disagree @cryptonerd. No one forced him to resign an extension with the Angels. One argue that he could’ve received an even bigger contract had he chosen to become a free agent.. It was also his choice to not include opt-out clauses in his current contract. I respect his decisions.
The angels have a pretty stacked future. Sure the last few years have been rough, but all of their studs are locked in; Trout, Ohtani, Rendon, Walsh and Fletcher and Stassi. I think he bet on the future here.
But they have all those players now and they still stink so how does that bode well for the future?
I just can’t believe that Angels brass is oblivious to the notion that what the team NEEDS, year in, year out…is PITCHING!! Starters and Bullpen!!
And yet, here we are again, perfectly placed as a .500 team…
Anyone know how many of our 35 losses we were ahead or tied when it went to the bullpen?
Reminds me of Felix Hernandez and the Mariners. Felix signed that mega deal to stay in Seattle and never sniff the playoffs.
So mad! Drafted Trout in my fantasy league! Wasted a 9th round pick on him. I’m thinking about maybe not playing next year. Not a fan of the commissioner as we have 4 handicapped kids playing in the league and why is he the only one who is allowed
To trade with them? Tatis Jr. for Elvis Andrus? C’mon! And he’s saying it’s not cheating because the guy asked him for Elvis because he was a big fan of the King of Rock and just wanted “Elvis” on his team. Please I don’t even think it’s the same guy who sings those songs! Definitely thinking about not playing next year. Or at least
Not paying $1,000 again to “buy in” as he said I had to do
you’re being played like a fool….
I’d like to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, but I need a $5000 deposit by noon today. Bridge is in great shape, hardly ever used. Let me know.
Maybe he just thought he was a hunk-a-hunk of burnin’ love and wanted him on his fantasy team!
He lasted until the 9th round??
Come on…..
No you didn’t. There is no league in all the leagues in the world where Mike Trout went in the 9th round. You’re lying so hard and for what? Who knows..
Listen Lion King…I tell the truth. We had a run on catchers and pitchers in the first 8 rounds. Trout was the first pick in round 9
Dear Angels: Please sign high-end pitchers. Sincerely, frustrated Halos fan.
Dear Frustrated Halos Fan, it’s just not that easy. Besides Cole which High-end pitchers have been available?
Off the top of my head, Wheeler and MadBum.
I never realized that a calf injury would be such a longer term injury, with need for so much time to heal and rehab…short of an actual tear of the muscle…
Side note #1….I’ve been impressed with Taylor Ward’s progress and game play…everyday play is certainly helping him..thanks Fowler for trying to stretch that double and blowing out your knee….
Side note #2….Speaking of BLOWING, my God does our bullpen suck…They got destroyed by Oakland…Our SPs have been better, why does Maddon continue to pull the starters so early?? especially Canning in that last one..he had like 85 pitches and only had given up 2 I think…then Watson and Cishek come in and serve up BP.
Side note #3….Y’all should get off SS Iglesias’ back, the man is a wizard!! At least on popups to shallow left…
There’s still hope for this season if the bullpen can be retooled for the second half…I ain’t giving up on this year yet!!
Canning only threw 69 pitches when he was pulled for Watson, and Ohtani was pulled for Watson after throwing 78 pitches. Maddon is nothing like the genius he thinks he is. The bullpen gave up four more runs last night in three innings.
You’re seeing why he was let go from his previous gigs. Watch the 2016 World Series game seven. I believe if the Cubs had lost he wouldn’t have been able to return to the city for safety reasons.
For starters analytics, 2nd, its a long season and both starters are coming off injuries. Othani missed all of last season and hasn’t pitched more than 6 innings in 10 starts and Canning missed all of April and is average 5 innings per start.
We always remember that our Cubs won that WS in spite of Maddon…
Report: Trout’s calf is still made of glass
*josh donaldson’s calf is made of glass
Wow…those calf strains can be a real bugga boo…
As an Indians fan, I’d hate to see Trout end up like Lonnie Chisenhall, but it seems like he’ll be fine.
Chisenhall was a much different situation…yet, yes, we don’t want to see Trout go to Pittsburgh next year and then retire..
Starters get pulled too soon.
Bullpen is taxed and over used and it’s not all star break.
Sooooo tired of same BS every year. Its old!!!
Remember back in the good old days when starter would go 8 and give it to the closer?
Man I wish I made what a closer made and blow it every 2-3 games and still have a job.
We have a closer…can anyone out there come in after the start throws 5 and get us to the closer without blowing it?
Put me coach…I’m ready!!
Preach brother