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Angels on verge of shutting three-time MVP Mike Trout down?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/15/21

Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout has been trying to return from the calf strain that first sidelined him May 17 throughout the summer and was hoping to get in at least some at-bats before the regular-season finale on Oct. 3.

Per Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times, Angels manager Joe Maddon now seems prepared to shut Trout down until 2022:

Joe Maddon said at this point, he "would be very surprised" if Mike Trout returns this season from his calf strain

Maddon said that a final, official decision hasn't been made yet though
— Jack Harris (@Jack_A_Harris) September 15, 2021

The three-time American League Most Valuable Player remains undeniably one of the game's best overall assets, but the Angels began Wednesday at 70-74 and well out of playoff contention with or without the slugger in the lineup.

"It's one of the hardest things I've been through in my career," Trout said of the injury back on Aug. 21, according to The Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "I've been through some injuries, but this thing is tough. I never realized how much I use my calf.

"I'm feeling better. I've been doing a lot lately, seems like every other day, every two days, doing a bunch of baseball activities. The biggest thing is recovering. I do a lot of work during the day and try to recover quicker the next day because the next day I'm pretty sore."

The 30-year-old would end the campaign batting .333 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs across 36 games.

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