Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is one of the greatest players of all time. He and Shohei Ohtani are the only bright spots for the team over the past decade, and with the trade deadline looming, it might be time for the Angels to say goodbye to the face of their franchise. This isn’t because of his performance, which has not been great this year. It’s not even really a business decision, despite the team getting almost no return on their investment in the former MVP. This would be doing Trout a solid.
At 53-55, the Angels aren’t really in the hunt for a World Series. They may be able to pull off some sort of miracle to squeak into the postseason, but if that happens, the team won’t get far. They just don’t have the horses to compete with the top teams in the league. From the outside looking in, this feels like yet another sub-.500 season by a team that has not had a winning record in 10 years (85-77 in 2015). They have a chance to send one of the greatest ballplayers in history to a team where he can finally win a title, the one thing he hasn’t done in his illustrious career.
Over the last five and a half years, the Angels have played 918 games, and Trout has appeared in just 401 of them (43.7%). Even this year, he has missed 26 games, and while some of that is rest now and again, he’s still been on the bench for a quarter of the season. He just isn’t in the lineup enough to entertain the fan base enough to keep him around. Even when he does play, he’s not exactly setting the world on fire.
Trout made headlines for his 1,000th career RBI, but that’s been the only highlight he’s managed recently. He’s hitting .235 this year and .268 the last six seasons (he only hit over .300 once during that span, and only because he played just 36 games). His 17 home runs are tied for 55th in the league, even though it’s more than double his home run total from last season. Basically, he’s not out there enough to entertain the fans, and when he is out there, he isn’t doing much to help the team win. They should be more than happy to see someone else pay him $37 million a year.
If the Angels were smart enough to put him on the block, it’s not like they’d be inundated with calls. Not unless they were willing to pick up a large chunk of the $204 million he’s owed over the next five and a half years. Any team that would be interested in Trout would be doing the Angels a big favor. He does have some value, but it has to make sense for the right team.
The New York Mets make the most sense. They are 62-46, and it’s really been their pitching keeping them in games, as they are 22nd in batting average in the MLB (.242). Trout would be a nice outfield piece (replacing Tyrone Taylor) and would flourish under the lights of the league’s biggest market. They already have the second-highest payroll in the majors, so depending on how they finish, Trout would likely be flipped in the offseason.
The Brewers are 24th in MLB payroll, so they have a few dollars to spare to make a World Series push. They are currently 64-44, and like the Mets, it’s been their pitchers carrying the team. Isaac Collins would be the one who has to sit for Trout, but he could give the team just enough pop to keep them from their playoff push to the Cubs. Chicago makes another interesting candidate, even though they are third in the league in batting average (.255). It’s pitchers they need, but if the price is right, Trout could end up patrolling the ivy.
The Tigers look like they make sense on paper, but it’s an illusion. Despite a 64-46 record, they are 14th in batting average (.250) and 10th in ERA (3.77). They have been consistent, but consistently mid. Playing in Detroit wouldn’t yield any better results for Trout than staying put.
There are a number of other teams in the hunt, and they all have good reasons to pursue Trout and good reasons to stay away. He’s 33 years old and unlikely to be winning Silver Slugger awards into his late 30s. His best years are behind him, but the fans still love the guy. Nothing would make them happier than seeing him get a title. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s probably not going to happen. Trout, for now, will have to remain in purgatory (aka Anaheim).
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