Angels' Mike Trout Made Major Swing Change Leading to Immediate Results

Mike Trout is finally back in the Los Angeles Angels lineup after missing nearly all of May with a left knee contusion.

The time off seems to have served the three-time American League Most Valuable Player well.

Trout has gone 8-for-14 (.517) with one home run and two RBIs since returning on May 30 for the series against the Cleveland Guardians.

As a result of Trout’s injury being related to his knee, the right fielder was able to work on making adjustments to his swing that have fostered his recent improvements at the plate.

“I got to work on my swing a little bit because it wasn't bothering me,” Trout said. “We had time off to just reset.”

Trout said he worked alongside the Angels’ hitting coaches and watched film of his previous plate appearances to identify which adjustments needed to be made.

And since his return, those adjustments have paid off for the 11-time All-Star.

“I just looked at some video and grinded with the hitting coaches. And it's been cool to see results,” Trout said.

Specifically, Trout and the hitting coaches noticed that the right-handed batter does not swing all the way through the ball. 

“I think the biggest thing is I was cutting off every swing, not staying through the ball,” Trout said. “When your swing is in the zone for a short period of time, you swing and miss a lot and you don't recognize stuff. So the longer the barrel is in the zone, the better.”

Although the Angels reactivated Trout from the IL, he is not fully healthy to return to a position on the field. 

In the meantime, the Angels have called up their No. 13 overall prospect, outfielder Matthew Lugo, as an extra outfield option.

Therefore, Trout has only made appearances as a designated hitter, which has allowed him to apply those corrections he received during his recovery from the knee injury.

Trout’s hitting improvements were on display during Monday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, as Trout, along with center fielder Jo Adell and shortstop Zach Neto, made the Angels the first visiting team to record three home runs in the first inning in Fenway Park history.