It will continue to be status quo in Anaheim for Mike Trout.
The Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Trout will not be traded ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported Sunday. Nightengale notes that Trout has “zero interest” in waiving the no-trade clause in his contract and that no team will even touch Trout unless the Angels eat nearly three-quarters of his remaining money (which they will not be doing).
Trout, the three-time AL MVP, is finally healthy again and back to performing at an All-Star level. He has played in 52 of 53 possible games thus far and is batting .239 with 13 home runs, 27 RBIs, and an .896 OPS (Trout’s highest mark in nearly five years).
But the Angels continue to be the very worst team in baseball. Now the owners of MLB’s longest active playoff drought, the Angels have the lousiest record in the majors this season at 19-34, and their fans are now openly protesting against owner Arte Moreno in the middle of games, too.
Trout’s return to form as well as the Angels’ continued misery have led to speculation that a trade could be on the way. The 11-time All-Star Trout recently even issued a public response to the growing trade whispers.
But the fact of the matter is that Trout is 34 years old and still has four years and nearly $150 million left on his contract after this season (taking him all the way through 2030). Thus, Trout’s toiling-away on a horrific rock-bottom team will likely not be ending any time soon.