Angels' Mike Trout Breaks Silence on Potentially Only Being Designated Hitter

Mike Trout is back.

Partially.

The 11-time American League All-Star center fielder sustained a bone bruise in his left knee on April 30, resulting in a month-long stint on the injured list.

Trout underwent an operation to repair his left meniscus in May 2024 but it required a second surgery in August, making his most recent knee injury more concerning. 

The Los Angeles Angels were able to reactivate Trout on May 30. However, the three-time American League Most Valuable Player has been restricted to designated hitter since his return.

Trout, who will turn 34 in August, has consistently struggled with injuries in recent years, only hitting the 100-game mark once since 2020. 

From calf strains to wrist injuries to a torn meniscus, Trout has been unable to stay healthy.

While a full time transition to DH would make sense to keep Trout healthy, the outfielder rejected the idea of converting to exclusively a designated hitter.

“No, no, no,” he said Friday. “Just waiting for it to go away, because if it’s not, we’re going to be chasing the rest of the year.”

Trout explained that the Angels want to make sure he is fully healthy before sending him back to the outfield.

“I don’t want to be in that situation where it’s like I go play the outfield, play a few games and then have to take days off because it’s sore and achy,” Trout said.

As he continues to recover from his knee injury, Trout added that he can manage his running more as a designated hitter than an outfielder.

Jorge Soler and Trout have swapped roles since the latter's return. Soler has taken over in right field, while Trout serves as the designated hitter.

Since returning, Trout has siginificantly improved at the plate, hitting .317 in 17 games. He has also recorded 19 hits, two home runs and nine RBIs.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.