The Los Angeles Angels recently snapped their losing streak against the New York Yankees with back-to-back shutout victories, but there’s still a lot to prove as the season progresses.
A key priority for the Halos moving forward is getting three-time MVP Mike Trout back in the outfield.
Mike Trout missed nearly the entire month of May after suffering a bone bruise in his surgically repaired knee at the end of April. Since returning to the lineup on May 30, he’s been swinging the bat well, posting a .317 average with two home runs and nine RBIs.
While his offensive numbers have improved since his return, Trout has been limited to designated hitter duties. The Angels still plan to ease him back into playing defense, but according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, efforts to reintroduce him to right field have been temporarily paused.
“The more we increased the workload, the more sore it got,” Trout explained. “We’re just trying to avoid it reaching a point where it keeps getting worse. So they pulled me back a bit. Once I have a few days where it feels good and I’m not getting too sore, we’ll start working on getting back out to the outfield.”
Trout made it clear he’s eager to return to right field but emphasized that taking care of his body comes first.
“Of course I want to be back in the outfield, but I have to listen to what my body’s telling me,” Trout said. “Right now, that means staying in the lineup as the DH. As much as I’d love to be out there, I’m just happy to be playing.”
His health and on-field performance remain the top priorities, and at the moment, both are trending in the right direction. If the team continues to take a cautious approach, Jorge Soler — and recently acquired LaMonte Wade Jr. — are expected to continue covering right field duties.
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