Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Mike Trout has looked resurgent (and healthy) at times for the Angels this season.
- That has led to speculation that the Angels could explore trading Trout.
- However, LA has already sent a message about their plans with their star.
It would make a lot of sense for Mike Trout to get traded, as his resurgence has put MLB’s top contenders on high alert. The Los Angeles Angels are in the gutter of the American League, and if they can't win when he's hot, they certainly won’t do better without him. Jose Soriano has been the top arm on this staff, but he can’t score runs, so letting Trout go is essentially conceding on the season. That doesn’t sound like a terrible idea except for one reason.
Perry Minasian, Angels general manager, and Kurt Suzuki, the Angels’ manager, are on one-year deals. They have zero incentive to tank.
That’s not to say the Angels can’t turn things around without Trout, but the odds of that happening are slim. Minasian and Suzuki would be ridiculous to write their own obituaries that way. The Angles have the third-worst farm system (only ahead of the San Diego Padres and the Houston Astros) so they can’t even use a trade as an excuse to invest in the youth. The worst part is if the Angels don’t turn things around, Minasian and Suzuki probably won’t be retained either. What a terrible position to be in.
The Los Angeles Angels would be wise to trade Mike Trout, but they need to have a plan
You can’t restate enough why the Angels have to seriously consider trading Trout. He’s playing like he was at the peak of his career and there’s no telling when the window to trade him will slam shut, possibly for good. Trout has been one of the best hitters in the AL this season and it’s giving baseball fans that nostalgic Trout that earned the lucrative contract in the first place.
Injuries have ruined Trout’s career and his resurgence is at the perfect time. Several early season contenders would love to land him right now while you can guarantee he’s still available. There’s no telling if Trout suffers yet another injury and how long it would keep him out. The Angels have to strike while it could still benefit.
That said, there’s more to trading Trout than just sending him away. Minasian and Suzuki would need a plan in place. They’d need to pick up some prospects that will help turn this team around. This isn’t about picking up draft capital, it’s about landing some prospects that will be on track to help them this season. Minasian would need to figure out how to set this roster up for both short term success – to save his job – and long term success to make a move worth it.
This could be the one chance the Angels have to trade Trout, but that doesn’t make it a wise move. Minasian and Suzuki are risking their careers by essentially nuking them if they trade Trout and it doesn’t change things. Yes, they’re already bad, but trading away your best offensive player and still playing worse is a fireable offense.
Mike Trout deserves to play for a contender, though it doesn’t mean he will
It’s crazy to think that after a prosperous first nine seasons in MLB, he has just three playoff games to his resume, and the numbers are putrid. Since 2019, the last scorching start to his career, he has just three seasons with more than 55 games played. Last year he played in 130 games, but it was the first since 2022 he eclipsed the 100-game mark. This year, he’s already played in 34 games and is returning to form. It’s the perfect chance for him to play his way onto a winning team.
He may never get that chance, though. The Angels signed him to a 12-year deal worth $426 million. If they’re finally getting the version of Trout they paid for, they would absolutely want to see that through. They’re going to be bad if he stays and worse if he leaves. It’s a lose-lose situation, so they might as well enjoy his hot streak for one more season and then, if Minasion and Suzuki are out, focus on where to send Trout.
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