Mike Trout is creeping closer to a return. The Angels superstar, sidelined with a hamstring injury, gave a pretty clear update on his progress Friday before Los Angeles took on the Red Sox.
According to Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group, Trout said he ran at 85% and completed a full hitting routine — the same one he’d do if he were active. He’s scheduled to hit on the field Saturday, and he described it as “likely” that he’ll be in the lineup at some point during the upcoming road trip. Maybe even in Texas, where the Angels start a series Tuesday.
That’s about as specific as Trout has been since the injury. The 34-year-old is still an All-Star lock by name, but whether he actually plays in the game remains an open question. He already said he probably won’t participate in the Home Run Derby, given he’s still working his way back.
His numbers are weird this year
Trout was hitting just .234 before he got hurt, which is ugly on paper. But look past the average and you see a guy with an .866 OPS and 17 home runs across 74 games. That’s not peak Trout, the guy who was a lock for 1.000 OPS every season. But it’s still a lot better than the alternative for an Angels lineup that’s been dogged by injuries all year.
The bigger issue is that the team is basically done. Los Angeles is 36-52, dead last in the American League West. Another season slipping away, another summer of wondering what could’ve been if half the roster wasn’t on the IL. Bringing Trout back matters for his own rhythm and for ticket sales, but it’s not going to save the campaign.
Friday night’s game against Boston at Angel Stadium is scheduled for 9:38 PM EST. First pitch, then more updates on Trout’s status as the week unfolds.
Leave a Comment