After another lost season, should Mike Trout consider retiring?

Another year, another serious injury. Thus describes the career of slugger Mike Trout, which has become painfully predictable. This time, it’s a torn meniscus in his left knee that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Last year, it was a broken left hand. The season before, it was back inflammation. Over the last four seasons, the Los Angeles Angels played 648 games, and Trout played in just 266 of them.

Trout has become the definition of “injury-plagued,” and it’s sad for many reasons. First, we get robbed of seeing a star playing at the top of his game. When completely healthy, Trout is arguably the best player in baseball. His last great year was 2019, in which he batted .291, had a slugging percentage of .645 and hit 45 home runs. He won the AL MVP award that season, which was his third.

Another reason why it’s upsetting that Trout can’t stay healthy is because he so clearly loves the game. “Playing and competing is a huge part of my life,” he wrote on X in a statement about his injury. “This is equally as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans.”

This is in direct contrast to someone like teammate Anthony Rendon who doesn’t seem to care whether he’s on the field or not.

Trout is expected to make a full recovery from his knee injury and may be ready to go when spring training rolls around. Angels general manager Perry Minasian thinks he’s not only going to play, but dominate.

“My call is he hits 70 homers and wins the MVP,” Minasian said, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. “I believe it. Looking at the look on his face, he might have the best year he's ever had next year.”

For his part, Trout is already thinking about the future, writing in that X post, “I understand that I may have disappointed many, but believe me, I will do everything I can to come back even stronger.”

So, the question probably isn’t if Trout will return, but should he? While he’s just 33, it has become clear that his body isn’t up for the challenge of a grindingly long baseball season anymore. If he does come back, this will almost certainly result in more missed games — and more frustration.

Then there’s his long-term health to think about. Does he want to risk further injuries that could result in long-term consequences?

What about what he’s returning to? The Angels haven’t had a winning record in nearly a decade, and the team doesn’t look like it will be competing for a championship anytime soon. With his onerous contract — which runs through 2030 — Trout will almost certainly be stuck in Anaheim. Does he want to come back to play for a bad team?

These are all questions Trout will now have a lot of time to ponder.