It’s been 46 days since Mike Trout was removed from the Angels lineup. The Angels now have 37 games remaining, and the time to see Trout coexist with Shohei Ohtani is getting shorter and shorter.
Trout left the game against the San Diego Padres on July 4 after complaining of pain in his left hand. A medical examination revealed a fractured left metacarpal. The news was devastating: he would need eight weeks to recover. He was placed on the disabled list on May 5 and has yet to return to action. He didn’t even play a rehab game.
However, there was sudden speculation that Trout could make a full comeback ahead of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. The Orange County Register, a local California newspaper, reported that Trout could return for Game 2 of the doubleheader. “It’s not likely, but it’s possible that Trout could start Game 2. Depending on how he feels, the team will decide if he returns,” the report said.
In the end, however, this did not happen. Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters, “(Trout) took a lot of swings on the 18th. Yesterday (the 19th) he had a little bit of soreness left, but he felt better today. He’s getting close to returning,” Nevin said. However, he did not say when he would return. “It’s still a waiting game. We’ll see how he feels and treat him. When he feels like he’s in good shape, he’ll swing. We’re looking at it every day.” There was no nuance that he would suddenly return in the second game of the doubleheader. In fact, he didn’t even play.
The Angels took one game of the doubleheader from Tampa Bay. They won Game 1 7-6 and lost Game 2 4-18. In 125 regular-season games, they won 61 and lost 64. A postseason berth is looking increasingly unlikely, and the team is slipping away from a five-win season.
It’s widely believed that Ohtani will leave the Angels when he becomes a free agent. There are only 37 games left for Ohtani to play in an Angels uniform. Ohtani and Trout will have even fewer days together.
From 2012, when he won Rookie of the Year, through the 2020 season, Trout was a steady anchor in the Angels’ lineup without any major injuries, but in 2021, his days have become increasingly limited. A calf injury in 2021 limited him to just 36 games. Last year, he played just 119 games due to back pain. This year, he has been suspended for 81 games.먹튀검증
Coincidentally, Ohtani’s injuries have become more frequent since his meteoric rise to MVP status. The Angels have both a three-time MVP in Trout and a one-of-a-kind in Ohtani, but they haven’t been able to capitalize on either player’s peak years. This year, the Angels aggressively added depth at the trade deadline, hoping to reunite the “Trautani” combination in fall ball, but the reality is that their chances of making the postseason have fallen below 1%.
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