Mike Trout injury update: Latest news on Angels star’s timeline ahead of knee surgery
Baseball fans have long waited for another healthy season for Mike Trout. It’s not coming in 2024.
Trout impressed with 10 home runs over his first 25 games, but recent struggles have given way to news that he may be facing an extended absence. Trout missed nearly half of last season after wrist surgery and hasn’t played more than 120 games in a season since he won his last MVP award in 2019.
The 32-year-old center fielder has resisted speculation that he might request a trade out of Anaheim after nine consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance. He committed to the Angels in 2024 even after Shohei Ohtani bolted for the crosstown Dodgers, but Trout may now find himself watching the Angels from the dugout for an extended period.
Here are the latest updates on Trout’s knee injury and when he might return.Â
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Mike Trout injury updateTrout was diagnosed with a torn meniscus and will undergo knee surgery, according to Angels GM Perry Minasian. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
The procedure isn’t expected to be season-ending, but there is not yet any indication of how long Trout will remain out.Â
It’s a torn meniscus in his left knee for Mike Trout, GM Perry Minasian said. But the #Angels believe he’ll return at some point this season.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) April 30, 2024Trout played Monday night, less than 24 hours before the news was revealed. He played in each of the Angels’ first 29 games to open the season.
While Trout described feeling “a little bit of an ache” in his knee after the third inning of Monday’s game, he continued to play and “didn’t think anything of it,” as he told reporters Tuesday. He described the injury as “frustrating.”
Mike Trout was emotional, as you might expect, but somehow composed. … pic.twitter.com/ZlEOULxRh2
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 30, 2024While Trout flashed terrific power throughout April and is tied for the league-lead with 10 home runs, he struggled to end the month. The three-time MVP is 1-for-12 over his last four games as of April 30, and he’s batting just .154 over his last 17 games.
It’s not uncommon for even the best hitters to slump for a couple of weeks, but Tuesday’s news indicates Trout likely wasn’t feeling 100 percent for at least a portion of that stretch.
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Mike Trout injury historyTrout missed 80 games in 2023 after undergoing midseason wrist surgery, a year after a back injury forced him to miss more than 40 games. He missed a total of 249 games from 2021-23, with a significant calf injury resulting in the longest absence of his career in 2021.
While Trout was remarkably durable early in his career, injuries have now plagued him for the bulk of the last six seasons. Even his last MVP season in 2019 ended with September foot surgery.
The Angels didn’t have many expectations in 2024 and have struggled to an 11-18 start. Trout’s pending absence is even more confirmation that the franchise’s postseason drought isn’t close to ending.
