Insider Pours Cold Water on Mike Trout Trade Rumors

The rumor caught some steam, with many considering Trout a great option not only as a strong right-handed bat that would fit well at Fenway Park but also a tremendous veteran leader that could elevate the play of Boston's young core.

This idea, however, has several key issues. On Thursday, MLB reporters Scott Braun and Ken Rosenthal took to the Foul Territory podcast to discuss these in detail, refuting the rumor in strong terms.

"The Red Sox can want him all they want," Braun said. "Mike Trout has a no-trade clause. For anyone that's covered Mike Trout, and I have a lot, and spoken to him quite often... that's not a team he's going to approve. I can say that pretty strongly."

"I will say this strongly: Mike Trout is not going to approve a trade to Boston."

"That is not the environment he wants," Braun added. "The turnover with the front office lately, the [Rafael] Devers situation, [Alex] Cora... Trout wants none of that."

Braun continued by explaining that he does think Trout would consider approving a trade to other teams because he "does want to try and get to a playoff appearance again," but Rosenthal went even further to shut down the discussion of him wanting to be moved at all.

"He has given no indication that he wants anything with regard to a trade, he has never indicated that at all," Rosenthal said. "In fact, it's been just the opposite... he says, repeatedly: 'I want to do it here.'"

While it's unlikely that these comments will quell the buzz about what Rosenthal calls a "dead issue," it should at least put it into perspective that the first and most important step to a Mike Trout trade has to be his desire to leave Anaheim.

Trout, who has worn the same uniform since he made his MLB debut at 19-years-old in 2011, would have to be the catalyst behind such a move. Unless we start to hear it from his camp, it's highly unlikely that the 11-time All Star goes anywhere.