Ron Washington is entering his second season as the manager of the Los Angeles Angels. He is coming off a challenging season where his team finished with a record of 63-99 and missed the postseason for the tenth consecutive year.
While the Angels are not exactly expected to be competitive in 2025, they have made some moves this offseason in an attempt to improve their team, and are expected to return the face of their franchise, Mike Trout. Now, Trout has faced numerous injuries throughout his career and it feels inevitable that he will have an IL stint at some point in 2025.
Washigton has a plan in place to hopefully keep Trout as healthy as possible this upcoming season. While it's a good start, it's not the best possible option. Let us explain.
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Mike Trout to move to right field for Angels
When Trout is fully healthy, he is one of the best players in the league, arguably one of the best of all-time. He is a true five-tool player who can help a team in numerous ways. His defense is a valuable aspect of his game and he has spent the majority of his time in the MLB as a centerfielder. Washington's plan is to move him from center in an attempt to lighten his workload.
The most logical thing to do in this situation would be primarily use Trout as a designated hitter and accept the fact that at this point in his career, it is worth parting ways with his defensive skills. Washington, however, has other thoughts. Trout will be moving from center field to right. It is intriguing that Washington thinks this will make a major difference.
Washington's previous connection to the Braves may be exactly why Trout will still be in the outfield if he can stay healthy. Former Braves player, Jorge Soler was a big piece of Atlanta's 2021 World Series title and is now reunited with Washington in Los Angeles. Soler is expected to be the Angels designated hitter this season.
Of course the skipper will claim he is trying to do what is best for his team but it really feels like if he truly wanted to lighten the workload for Trout, the Angels never should've acquired Soler in the first place.