Exploring Mike Trout's Trade Potential and Injury Impact
Despite a no-trade clause and love for Anaheim, Mike Trout faces challenges from injuries and a hefty contract. Bob Nightengale reflects on his future.
Video Transcript
Are we at that time right now where the Angels consider sending Mike Trout somewhere, or has that ship sailed, Bob?
I mean, the guy's really never been in the postseason.
He's never had a shot at putting his name up.
And I know, listen, he's long in the tooth now.
He's not the same Mike Trout of, say, five years ago.
But could you see him, Arte Moreno, the owner of the Los Angeles Angels, could you see them getting rid of him and moving him somewhere just to give him a shot to see what he could do, and maybe get himself a World Series ring?
No, I, I think what people forget is Mike Trout has a complete no-trade clause.
Mike Trout doesn't wanna go anywhere.
He's very happy- Oh in Anaheim.
Yeah, he wishes they won more.
just like Ohtani.
I- if the Angels had matched that contract, he was going back to Anaheim.
So, you know, they, they couldn't trade him just there's so little trade value.
Remember, he's got $140 million coming.
they would have to eat at least half of that contract.
he's just been hurt too much.
He's healthy right now, but how long is it gonna last?
So no, I think a, you know, Trout stays with the Angels his entire career.
It's too bad with all the injuries and everything else, but I know there has You know, the last couple years there has not been a single team, you know, reach out and ask about Mike Trout.
Mike Trout, where do you put him in baseball's legacy?
Where, where, where do you think he fits?
'Cause, you know, there were conversations before, Bob, that you were comparing him to, not you, but folks were comparing him to Mantle, and that he was a modern-day Mantle.
Center field guy, all the Gold Gloves, the, home runs and all, three-time American League MVP.
Where do you put him as one of the best outfielders of all time?
You know, it drops down just because of all the injuries.
he started that way.
You know, you compare his first 10 years to, say, Albert Pujols, you know, it pales in comparison.
Now, Pujols' first 10 years were unbelievable.
I know he's not an outfielder, but yeah, he was in that It, Mike was definitely in that track, but just the injuries derailed him.
So I don't think you'll go and say he's one of the top 10 outfielders of all time or top 20, you know, top 50, you know, that sort of thing.
But just 'cause the injuries.
You gotta play.
that's why, you know, what Matt Olson's doing, you know, approaching about 850 straight games now without taking a day off, you know, that's, that, that's pretty special.
but you gotta play to be one of those guys that are s- are considered one of the greatest.
It's just too bad with the injuries.
It's almost like Jacob deGrom.
You know, Jacob deGrom could've been one of the best, you know, pitchers of all time, but, you know, injuries wiped him out, too.
Do you think Mike Trout had a better career than Andruw Jones?
Ooh.
close.
I mean, I think people will say just 'cause more recent bias, it might Trout, but I think it's close.
I mean, obviously, you know, Andruw was playing a lot of, you know, a lot of, great Atlanta Braves teams there.
And, he was a much, much better outfielder than Mike Trout, much better.
And, I mean, 10-time Gold Glove winner.
I'm not sure.
What, what's Trout have?
Maybe one Gold Glove at, at maximum.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And, but no, I would probably put J- I'd probably put Jones ahead of, Mike Trout.
Same thing.
He didn't have the injuries, but he just fell off a cliff when he left Atlanta.
I never thought that that conversation would ever be that close.
Like you said, in the first 10 minutes here, or 10 years of his career, I never thought that
