Each MLB team’s most important offseason decision

Los Angeles Angels - Michael Nelson Trout

Mike Trout has one postseason hit. It was a home run back in 2014, the last time the Los Angeles Angels made the playoffs. Since then, the Angels have had four MVP award winners and no playoff appearances. They don’t even have a winning season in that time, and its been 10 years since they have been within 10 games of the division at the end of the season. 

We say this because Shohei Ohtani spent the first six years of his career with this franchise alongside Trout, and he never made the postseason. Despite being alongside Trout, who is also considered one of the best in the game. Trout has said, unlike Ohtani, he wants to stay in Anaheim, but it’s hurting his legacy at this point. 

Trout is 33 years old and has 12 postseason at bats. He’s also seeing those injuries start to rack up. The Angels are nowhere near contention, and there’s really nothing they can do this offseason to change that. The team is all bad. It makes so much sense for the Angels to trade Trout and rebuild. It makes sense for everyone. The Phillies would give up everything to get Trout. The Yankees and Mets would probably get into the conversation to drive up the price. Honestly, every contending team would likely try to get Trout, thinking he could put them all the way over the top.

We say it’s likely up to Trout, but is it? This isn’t exactly a legacy guy, as he hasn’t had that postseason moment. He didn’t bring a championship to LA. He didn’t even come close like Barry Bonds did in San Francisco. He hasn’t broken records, and it appears he’s breaking down. Yet, he’s still young enough to have six more great years, and a team will pay handsomely because of that possibility.