Angels’ Mike Trout Out for Season with Meniscus Tear
Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout has suffered another meniscus tear in his surgically repaired left knee and will miss the rest of the season. This development adds to the struggles for the superstar, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trout wrote that an MRI from the previous day “showed a tear in my meniscus that will require surgery again — ending my hopes of returning this season.”
“Playing and competing is a huge part of my life,” Trout expressed. “This is equally as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans. I understand that I may have disappointed many, but believe me, I will do everything I can to come back even stronger.”
Trout, who turns 33 on Wednesday, initially tore his meniscus on April 29 and underwent surgery four days later. He hoped to return within four to six weeks, according to sources, which doctors said was a best-case scenario. However, it took a little over 11 weeks for Trout to start a rehab assignment.
When he did begin rehabbing on July 23, he left after just one plate appearance and two innings in center field due to discomfort in his left knee. The discomfort persisted, leading him to leave the rehab assignment with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees and return to Southern California for reevaluation. Trout informed reporters last Friday that an MRI showed no issues, mentioning he was dealing with soft-tissue buildup and inflammation and could resume baseball activities soon.
“It’s a huge relief for me,” Trout said at the time.
However, the discomfort continued, and a new scan on Wednesday revealed a tear in a different part of the knee. The Angels expect Trout to be fully ready for the start of spring training next year. By then, he will have six years and $212.7 million left on his contract.
“I believe it’s going to turn,” said Angels general manager Perry Minasian. “He’s going to play. My call is he hits 70 homers and wins the MVP. I believe it. Looking at the look on his face, he might have the best year he’s ever had next year.”
Trout finished in the top two in American League MVP voting seven times in his first eight full seasons, establishing himself as the top player of the 2010s. From 2012 to 2020, his 73 FanGraphs wins above replacement (fWAR)—which included three MVPs, eight Silver Slugger Awards, and eight All-Star Game appearances—was far ahead of any other player, with Max Scherzer next at 50.4 fWAR.
However, Trout has struggled to stay on the field since then. By the end of this season, he will have played in about 41% of the Angels’ games from 2021 to 2024. A calf injury sidelined him from mid-May to the end of the season in 2021, and a back issue placed him on the injured list for over a month in 2022. In 2023, a hand injury kept him out from July 3 to August 22, and again from August 23 until the season’s end. Now, a knee injury will keep him out for the final five months of this season.
“I will continue to help my team and teammates from the dugout as we press forward into the second half of the season,” Trout wrote in his statement. “Thank you for your support.”