Mike Trout’s future with Angels: Limited DH duty a possibility

Mike Trout has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, leading to some speculation that the Los Angeles Angels could perhaps move him to a designated hitter role to limit his wear and tear.

If they do, it won’t be on a full-time basis. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the team “would prefer to use him as a DH only on a limited basis, according to sources familiar with the club’s thinking.”

Rosenthal continued: “While making Trout a DH might sound like a step toward keeping him healthy, the Angels aren’t so sure. Trout’s three most recent injuries were left ribcage inflammation in 2022, a left hamate fracture in ’23 and a torn meniscus in his left knee in ’24. Each of those issues stemmed, at least in part, from the act of swinging, club officials believe. Most DHs use their down time to take additional practice swings. Trout, a perfectionist, almost certainly would, too.”

Instead, Trout will remain a regular corner outfielder with occasional stints at designated hitter. That would further explain the team acquiring Jorge Soler for pitcher Griffin Canning last week.

Soler, 32, has hit 20 or more home runs in a season four times dating back to 2019, including 36 dingers in 2023 and 48 in 2019. But he’s primarily a designated hitter at this point, so if the Angels had plans to move Trout to DH, the Soler acquisition would have been a head-scratcher. Instead, Trout will remain in the outfield.

But will he remain healthy?

The three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star only played in 29 games this past season, 82 in 2023, 119 in 2022 and 36 in 2021. When healthy he’s remained effective, but staying on the field has become a rarity for the 33-year-old Trout.

In turn, the Angels haven’t had a winning record since 2015, and the team’s inability to reach the postseason played at least a part in Shohei Ohtani departing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency last winter.

The Angels and Trout need to come up with some sort of plan for keeping him on the field. Apparently, a regular dose of being the DH won’t be a part of that strategy.