Los Angeles Angels standout Mike Trout is set to undergo surgery to mend a torn meniscus in his left knee, thrusting the three-time AL MVP into indefinite sideline status.
The Angels believe Trout will be able to return this season, shared general manager Perry Minasian in the announcement of the injury on Tuesday.
Despite boasting a .220 batting average coupled with a major league-leading tally of 10 homers, 14 RBIs, and six stolen bases this year, Trout finds himself grappling with a significant setback for the fourth consecutive season.
Consequently, the Angels have placed Trout on the 10-day injured list and secured the services of seasoned outfielder Kevin Pillar through a one-year, $740,000 deal.
Trout underwent an MRI subsequent to his participation in the Angels’ 6-5 triumph over Philadelphia on Monday.
Following the game, the outfielder fought to hold back tears as he recounted the pain that gradually intensified.
“It’s crazy, because I look back and I don’t even know when I did it,” Trout said. “I was kind of telling myself, ‘Maybe I just banged it on something and I didn’t realize it.’ And then after the game, getting treatment on it, it was really sore.
The plan was just to see how I felt in the morning. If I woke up and it was sore, just get it looked at. That was the plan. Last night was tough for me to sleep. It was just aching all night.”
Trout’s latest setback deals another heavy blow to the struggling Angels, who have stumbled to an 11-18 start in their inaugural season post-Shohei Ohtani’s departure via free agency.
Adding to their woes, Los Angeles bid adieu to Anthony Rendon indefinitely earlier this month due to a torn hamstring.
The third baseman, commanding a hefty $245 million, has also grappled with injuries, sidelining him for significant stretches over the past four seasons.
Trout and Rendon reign as the Angels’ top earners, with each pocketing over $37 million this season.
In Trout’s absence, Mickey Moniak stepped into the center field role during Tuesday night’s clash against the Phillies.
The 32-year-old Trout, boasting three MVP awards from his dominant tenure in the 2010s, has seen his durability falter since 2021.
A strained calf limited him to a mere 36 games in the 2021 season, while a back injury sidelined him for weeks in 2022.
Last season, a broken bone in his hand restricted him to just one game after July 3.
Despite his afflictions, Trout remarked that knee issues have never plagued him before.
“I’ve talked to a couple of guys in there that’s had” meniscus repair,” Trout said while standing outside the Angels’ clubhouse. “It’s a pretty simple procedure. I’ll have it right away and get back as fast as I can, (but) this is tough.”
The Angels inked Pillar on Tuesday, swiftly moving after designating Aaron Hicks for assignment a day earlier.
Hicks, a seasoned outfielder with the Yankees, struggled, managing just a .140 batting average and one homer across 18 games with the Halos.
Pillar, on the other hand, posted a .160 average over 17 games this season with the White Sox before being designated for assignment last Friday.
The 35-year-old Southern California native now finds himself with his ninth major league team in the last six seasons.
In addition to Pillar’s signing, the Angels bolstered their bullpen by selecting the contract of left-handed reliever Amir Garrett, while sending right-hander Davis Daniel back to Triple-A Salt Lake.