5 potential career milestones affected by MLB’s shortened season

1. Mike Trout — All-time leader in fWAR

This milestone is far from being reached soon by any means. But with the upcoming shortened 60-game schedule, it certainly puts a dent in Mike Trout’s chances of this ever being reached.

Babe Ruth is the all-time leader in fWAR by a staggering 168.4 mark. This baseball record is one that might never be broken… ever. Or could it?

This seems all far-fetched for anyone to ever reach Ruth’s astounding milestone, but Mike Trout is the first player since Barry Bonds to have a possible chance at achieving the feat.

Among active players, Trout is the only player that poses any kind of threat to even getting anywhere closes to Ruth’s record. Over the 2010s with the Los Angeles Angels, Trout finished with a total of 73.4 fWAR, which ranked first in all of baseball. He is the overwhelming favorite to lead the league in this category throughout the remainder of his prime years.

For Trout to reach Ruth’s 168.4 number would be astronomical but there is a slight chance that it could happen. However, with Trout already missing time over the past couple of seasons due to injury coupled with the shortened season, it hinders his chances of reaching such a figure. He is projected for a 3.0 fWAR campaign according to Fangraphs, which would bring the reigning AL MVP winner to 76.4 fWAR.

Trout would now need 92.1 fWAR to pass Ruth. But with inevitable injuries and decline in play, it is difficult to see the outfielder reach the figure.

While the chances do not favor Trout at this point, he is more than capable of overachieving — even by his high standards — and doing what others may see as a near-impossible task to target.