Angels reporter explains why Mike Trout remains committed to the team

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout.

Two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani may have left the Los Angeles Angels in December, but Mike Trout is staying put with the Halos, supposedly for the long haul.

Angels reporter Sarah Valenzuela joined the “Foul Territory” podcast on Friday and explained why the three-time MVP outfielder remains committed to the franchise that selected him in the first round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft.

General manager Perry Minasian said in early December that Trout “100 percent” wouldn’t be traded. That was less than one week before Ohtani signed his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The two-way superstar’s departure renewed trade rumors regarding Trout, but Valenzuela made it clear that for now, the 32-year-old is staying loyal to the only MLB team he’s known.

Baseball fans are well aware of all the individual accolades that No. 27 has earned.

In addition to the trio of MVPs, Trout has collected 11 All-Star honors, nine Silver Slugger awards and a Rookie of the Year award. From 2012-19, he was widely regarded as the best position player in the sport, leading the junior circuit in runs scored, on-base percentage and OPS four times apiece, walks and slugging percentage three times and RBI and stolen bases once each.

Trout’s had trouble staying on the field over the last three seasons though, appearing in a career-low 36 games in 2021 (calf injury), 119 in 2022 (back) and 82 in 2023.

Perhaps in some other organizations, fans wouldn’t be as forgiving as they’ve been with Trout’s injury problems. He’s been one of the more likable stars in the game for a decade now and the Angels’ lack of playoff success (or appearances) hasn’t been the outfielder’s fault.

As a rookie in 2011, Trout helped lead Los Angeles to their most recent postseason berth, where they were swept in the ALDS by the Kansas City Royals.

In the final season of the Ohtani-Trout era, the Angels finished in fourth place in the AL West at 73-89 for their eighth consecutive losing season.

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