Mike Trout Hits the IL Again. This Time It’s His Hamstring.

Just when it felt like Mike Trout might actually get through a season mostly intact, the Angels dropped another injury bulletin. Trout is headed to the injured list with a hamstring issue, according to The Athletic’s Sam Blum. The future Hall of Famer had been on an eight-game hitting streak, quietly putting together a line that included 17 home runs, a .394 on-base percentage, and an .866 OPS. But now the Angels (30-45) are staring down another lost summer, and their one remaining box-office draw is going to be watching from the dugout in street clothes.

This isn’t the kind of comeback season anyone in Anaheim had in mind. Trout missed chunks of 2024 and 2025 with knee problems and a calf strain, the kind of injuries that pile up for a guy who plays center field like a runaway train. He’d looked solid at the plate this year, even if the raw power numbers weren’t quite peak Trout. The .472 slugging percentage was fine, not God-tier, but it was something to hold onto in a season where almost nothing else has gone right for the Angels.

To fill Trout’s roster spot, the club is calling up Christian Moore from Triple-A Salt Lake. Moore was a top-10 overall pick in last year’s draft, a second baseman out of Tennessee who tore through the minors with a mix of gap power and aggressive plate approach. He’s not a center fielder and he’s not going to replace Trout’s production, let’s be clear. But he’s young, he’s hungry, and he gives Angels fans a reason to tune in that isn’t just morbid curiosity about how bad things can get.

Another year, another IL stint for the franchise guy

The Angels haven’t said how long Trout will be out, and hamstrings for guys with his muscle mass and explosive style are always a dicey recovery. The team has not confirmed a timeline. But even a short IL stint feels like a gut punch given the context. The Angels are 15 games under .500, their pitching staff is a mess, and the farm system hasn’t produced a reliable everyday player in years. Trout was the last thread holding the whole thing together for a fan base that has been through the wringer since 2014.

You can’t help but think about the contract. Trout is signed through 2030, making an enormous amount of money, and every missed game chips away at the idea that he’ll ever carry this franchise to a deep October run. Maybe he’ll come back in a few weeks and rake again. Or maybe this is just how the rest of his prime goes — brilliant stretches separated by frustrating trips to the IL. Either way, the Halos are back to being a team you watch for the prospects and the faint hope that next year will be different.