As Mike Trout and the Angels try to resurrect his injury-plagued career, he’ll become primarily the team’s right fielder this season.
It’s part of an effort to keep the 33-year-old healthy, with the hope that moving over from center won’t tax his body as heavily.
The decision, which Trout talked about Monday at Angels spring training in Arizona, came a day after he met with team officials, including manager Ron Washington.
Trout was limited to a career-low 29 games last season by a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery and he’s played in more than 82 games just once since 2019, when he appeared in 119 games in 2022.
Largely because of his inability to stay on the field, MLB Network recently ranked Trout just the 39th-best player in the majors.
The ranking left Trout “fired up” and motivated for the season, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
How that impacts Trout’s career going forward remains to be seen, since there is no indication his injuries are going away.
He was arguably the best hitter in the game from 2012-19.
Trout appeared in 53 games in the COVID-shortened 2020 season before a left calf strain limited him to 36 games in ‘21.
He rebounded to hit 40 homers in 2022, but his availability and production have dipped the last two years, in part due to a fractured left hamate bone in 2023 and the knee issues one year ago.
The Angels have little choice but to hope Trout bounces back, since he has six years at more than $37 million per season remaining on the 12-year, $426.5 million extension he signed in 2019.
It’s just one of the bad contracts the Angels are currently dealing with, as third baseman Anthony Rendon is out indefinitely due to hip surgery and there is some doubt about whether he’ll play again.
