Mike Trout’s Uncertain Future with the Angels
Before we dig in, let me give you a bit of insight into why this article is near and dear to my heart—I am a lifelong Angels superfan. I was at the 2002 World Series when my Halos took down Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants. I suffered through some of the worst contracts in franchise history (remember Josh Hamilton? I wish I didn’t!) and I’ve watched the Angels go from the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to the Los Angeles Angels. Most relevant to this article, however, is the fact that I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to watch arguably the best player to ever step on the field in baseball history. To say that this article is personal is a gigantic understatement.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into it. Mike Trout is three years into a 12-year, $426,500,000 contract that is slated to keep him in an Angels’ uniform until he becomes a free agent in 2031. Essentially, to Angels fans, this contract meant that Trout would be an Angel for the rest of his career. The contract contains a full no-trade clause, no opt-outs, and several incentive-based bonuses that total $850,000. Trout has the most player-friendly contract known to man—and for good reason! Trout was named the 2012 Rookie of the Year, he’s won three MVP awards, two All-Star MVP awards, he’s a nine-time All-Star, and an eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Okay, I’ll stop gushing over Trout. Let’s get back to business. When looking at the details of Trout’s contract, it doesn’t look like there’s a way out for Trout unless he pulls a James Harden maneuver and forces a trade. If he decided to do so, I don’t think that a lot of Angels fans would blame him. The last time (and the only time) that the Angels have made it to the playoffs during Trout’s career was in 2014 when they were swept in the American League Division Series by the Kansas City Royals. That was an Angels’ team that featured the aforementioned Hamilton, as well as Raul Ibanez and CJ Wilson. To say it was a while ago would be the polite way to put it.
Let me be candid. The fact that the Angels have failed to get Trout into the playoffs more than once in his career is unacceptable. Not only is it a travesty for baseball fans, but Trout himself is tired of missing out on October baseball as well. However, without either a player or team option built into his contract, the only way that Trout could find himself in a different uniform is if he asked the Angels to trade him. He has a full no-trade clause, so he ultimately would be able to decide where he lands, but it’s possible. The combination of the Angels failing to make it to the playoffs and Trout’s mounting frustrations sounds the alarm for Angels’ fans everywhere. Will Trout be an Angel for life, or is he already thinking of leaving my beloved Halos?
I don’t think that Trout will force his way out of Anaheim. Over the past few weeks, the Angels have shown that they have young, talented pitching prospects, and they’ve made an effort to bring up their young talent to the major league roster. Optics matter and I think that Trout should be encouraged by the moves the Angels have made and the talent that the younger players have shown.
However, if he decides he wants to leave, I firmly believe that myself and Angels fans everywhere wouldn’t blame the guy (or goat, or whatever he is). He deserves better than what the organization has given him. I would simply have a quiet sob, and I would thank him for his time in a Halos uniform.
