5 teams that need to save Mike Trout from another dramatic Angels letdown

Mike Trout spoke to reporters on Monday. The takeaways were simple: he's happy in Anaheim, and he wants the Los Angeles Angels' front office to operate aggressively.

The 11-time All-Star encouraged ownership to sign one of the major free agents left on the market, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, but that doesn't guarantee results. Unfortunately for the Angels, happiness is a fickle friend. It can vanish in an instant — it almost always does over time.

If Los Angeles doesn't place more star power next to Trout, he conveniently left the door open for a future trade.

Trout is a complicated figure as far as trade speculation is concerned. He has a full no-trade clause, for one. He's also 32 years old, signed through his age-38 season. On one hand, great — team control! On the other hand, Trout comes with more than his share of injury baggage. He only managed 82 games and 362 plate appearances for the Angels last season.

He is due an average of $35.6 million annually on his current contract. That is a major commitment for even the most financially liquid MLB teams. That said, Trout is an all-time great and, when healthy, he's still a top-tier bat. The list of suitors would be long accordingly.

Here are a few logical fits if Trout does eventually ask out.

5. Padres can land Mike Trout as next big splash

The San Diego Padres have been one of the most aggressive front offices in the MLB in recent years. The Juan Soto trade signals a desire to cut costs and reassess, but we know that when push comes to shove, A.J. Preller is comfortable tossing his hat in the ring for superstar talent. Landing Trout is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for most franchises.

Even with Soto gone and Blake Snell on his way out the door, San Diego has a ton of talent on the roster. The top of their lineup — Ha-Seong Kim, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado — packs one hell of a punch. That is amplified tenfold with Trout in the mix. He's still a positive presence in centerfield, too, plugging straight into a position of need for San Diego.

The Padres' willingness to spend big, combined with their convenient location right down the California coast, makes them a real threat to land Trout when (if) the time comes. Last season was a thorough disappointment for the Padres, but that's the cost of front office aggression. Sometimes it doesn't work out, but the attempt matters. It's better to swing big and miss than to never swing in the first place.

One has to believe Trout would appreciate the front office's track record, as well as the immense offensive talent already on the roster. The Padres need to revive the bullpen with Snell out the door, but that could be handled by the time Trout arrives.