Mike Trout has been a staple for the Los Angeles Angels. He is an eight-time MLB All-Star, three-time American League Most Valuable Player, and a seven-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. Trout was selected by the Angels in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. It will go down as the Angels’ best selection in franchise history. He is the best player in Major League Baseball today and one of the best of all time. This is why Trout and the Angels deserve to make a long run in the 2021 playoffs.
Debut Season
In July of 2011, Mike Trout made his debut with the Los Angeles Angels. He went 0-for-3, but better days were to come. The next day, he got his first major league hit against the Seattle Mariners. Trout hit his first major league home run that month also. That year, he was up and down between the major and minor leagues. On August 19th, Trout was called back up. On that same day, he hit two home runs, becoming the youngest Angel player to accomplish that feat.
2012-2013 Honors and Awards
2012 was a break-out season for Trout. He received many awards and honors that year – AL Player of the Month, AL Rookie of the Month, and AL Rookie of the Year. Trout received his first All-Star Game selection and was also chosen in the following year. In 2013, Trout hit his first Grand Slam and he represented the Angels in the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
And The Beat Goes On… 2014-2018
In 2014, Trout signed an impressive 6-year, $144.5 million dollar deal with the Angels. He also earned his first American League Most Valuable Player award that year. From 2015-2016, Trout, once again, showed what he could do by winning MVP in the 2015 All-Star Game and his second AL MVP in 2016. He was also the youngest player in MLB history (23 years old) to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. Trout suffered his first significant injury in 2017 (thumb). He did return and Sports Illustrated named him the #1 player in baseball after he was selected to the All-MLB Team. In 2018, Trout again took part in the mid-summer classic. On May 26 of that year, Trout got his first career five-hit game. He also set single-game career highs in doubles, extra-base hits (four), and total bases (11).
Making History in 2019
2019 was a history-making year for Trout. He signed a groundbreaking contract with the Angels, a 12-year, $426 million deal. He also went on to pass another great in the game, Barry Bonds, by becoming the youngest player to hit 200 home runs and steal 200 bases. Trout’s 2019 season was cut short because of a serious foot injury that required surgery, but he still had impressive stats. Trout received his third MVP award, joining his teammate Albert Pujols as the only two current players to have three regular-season MVP awards. By the way, he finished second four other times – 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Impressive!
Shortened Pandemic Season
The Angels hired Joe Maddon as their new manager prior to the 2020 season. They had a 26-34 record, finishing the abbreviated season in fourth place in the AL West. In the 2020 campaign, Trout hit his 300th home run, surpassing Tim Salmon for the most home runs in Angels’ history. Here are some stats: Trout finished the pandemic-shortened season slashing .281/.390/.603 with 17 home runs (tied for 4th in the AL) and 46 RBIs (6th) in 53 games. He was in the top ten for home runs and RBIs.
When you look at all that Mike Trout has done for the Angels and MLB, there should be no doubt that he and the Angels deserve to make a long run in the playoffs. Let’s see how the 2021 season unfolds!
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4 Responses
But Arte Moreno doesn’t care about the playoffs. If he did he would have spent a lot more on pitching over the winter. They still need two good relievers and a starting pitcher wouldn’t hurt. But the bullpen is the bigger issue.
Great article!
Mike trout is arguably the best player in baseball and not because of his overly huge contract