The Los Angeles Angels came into the 2022 MLB season hoping it would be different this year. Yes, they have consistently underperformed despite having two of the best players in the sport on their roster. But history wouldn’t repeat itself again.
Unfortunately, things haven’t quite gone according to plan. The team presently finds itself 38-45 on the year – good for 4th place in the AL West. Firing Joe Maddon was an inevitability, but it’s likely not the last big move the Angels will make.
Rumors surrounding the front office trading Mike Trout have started to intensify in recent days. So much so that he himself has had to come out and address them.
“I signed the contract and this is where I want to be,” Trout told Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. “A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, he wants to be traded. Do this. Do that. I want to win.
“Everybody knows that. Going into this year, this isn’t where we wanted to be, obviously. Everybody knows that. We’ve still got time to turn this around.”
While Trout’s loyalty is admirable, the writing is on the wall here. Something needs to change. His numbers are strong, obviously: . 273/.374/.619 with a .993 OPS and 23 homers.
But you don’t pay someone $427 million over 12 years to simply put up nice stats while you toil away at the bottom of the division on an annual basis.
Trout has a no-trade clause, but that doesn’t mean anything either. The man has made one playoff run – eight years ago. Anyone would be frustrated with that, and Trout clearly is as well. You can just see it in his body language this year:
This just isn’t a winning situation for anyone. Clearly L.A. needs to retool, and there is no way to do that more efficiently than to trade away a mega star like Trout for a massive haul. It would allow for a rebuild to happen in its most organic and natural way.
The hype around Trout in Los Angeles is dead. He is deeply talented, but he doesn’t move the needle at all. He goes viral over his wife a lot more than because of anything he actually does.
There comes a time when franchises and their stars have to call it. Sometimes experiments fail.
👀👀Erin Andrews. https://t.co/E4Yd8Q217S
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 7, 2022
And Trout has failed as an Angel.
Can he and the organization agree on that and find a mutually beneficial solution?
Time will tell.
Related: Baker Mayfield’s Wife Emily’s Blunt Reaction To Panthers Trade
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
