Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Mike Trout says he's hoping to return to the outfield sometime soon, however doesn't have a timeline for when that may be, per Jeff Fletcher.
Mike Trout said his knee feels better with four days off and he’s hoping to return to the OF “soon,” but he has no timeframe.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) July 18, 2025
Trout hasn't played in the outfield since before his injury, which placed him on the injured list May 2. He suffered a bone bruise in his surgically-repaired left knee, and missed a month on the IL before returning. Since his return, he has exclusively served as the team's designated hitter and hasn't logged a single inning in the field.
Angels outfielders this season have a fielding percentage of .983 — fourth-worst in MLB — and have the lowest defensive runs saved in the American League.
Before his injury, the former MVP played 185 innings in right field, where he had a perfect fielding percentage in 48 chances.
While the Angels may be missing his glove in the outfield, he has been a force at the plate since his return. Trout has a .911 OPS since his return May 30, and has a 152 wRC+ in that timeframe. He leads all Angels except Jo Adell in homers during that timeframe with eight, and has an on-base percentage of .433 during that spell.
Trout is a big reason for the Angels' resurgence into the postseason picture, and they may be hesitant to return him to the field when he's swinging the bat this well. Trout's biggest problem since the start of the decade has been availability, and the Angels will definitely need to keep him healthy if they're to make a charge for the final AL Wild Card spot, even if it means keeping him off the field for a little longer.
They currently trail the Seattle Mariners by four games in the Wild Card chase, and have a rough couple of matchups coming straight out of the All-Star break. They have a six-game road trip against the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets before returning home for a seven-game homestand against their division and Wild Card rivals, the Mariners and Texas Rangers.
Their series against the Phillies kicks off on Friday at 3:45 p.m. PT.
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