The Los Angeles Angels will be without star Mike Trout for the immediate future.
Angels general manager Perry Minasian announced Tuesday that Trout will undergo knee surgery. He is not expected to miss the remainder of the campaign, although the exact time frame is unclear at this point.
Sam Blum @SamBlum3Mike Trout has a meniscus tear. He'll have surgery. There is no specific timetable for his return.
Trout was emotional about the news:
Sam Blum @SamBlum3Mike Trout was fighting back tears as he spoke to the press today. Very emotional. Was at a loss for words in describing the disappointment.<br><br>Said he felt it a bit in the third inning yesterday. But no serious pain until postgame.<br><br>Will have surgery ASAP, he said.
Alden González @Alden_GonzalezMike Trout was emotional, as you might expect, but somehow composed. … <a href="">
This is yet another setback for the future Hall of Famer, who played just 82 games last season and hasn't appeared in more than 119 contests since the 2019 campaign. There was a time during the 2022 season when Trout had to clarify that a back injury wasn't going to force him into retirement.
The health concerns have prevented him from further adding to a resume that places him in elite company as one of the best players in baseball history. He is a three-time American League MVP, nine-time Silver Slugger and 11-time All-Star with 378 career home runs.
Trout is slashing .220/.325/.541 with a league-best 10 home runs, 14 RBI and six stolen bases in 29 games this season.
Los Angeles already lost Shohei Ohtani to free agency this past offseason and will now be without its primary star as it attempts to climb out of an early hole in the standings.
The Angels are 11-18 and in fourth place in the American League West. They are just five games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners but will now have to make up ground without the face of the franchise.
It is fair to at least be somewhat concerned with Trout's long-term future from the Angels' perspective seeing how he will turn 33 years old this season and has dealt with various physical setbacks of late. He is also signed through the 2030 campaign with a full no-trade clause on his contract.
There is no questioning his status as one of the best players in the league when he is healthy, but he is once again sidelined following this latest setback.
