Angels’ Mike Trout ‘devastated’ to miss rest of season with new meniscus tear
ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the third time in the past four seasons, Mike Trout’s year has been ended prematurely due to injury.
The three-time MVP will miss the remainder of 2024 with a second meniscus tear in his left knee, the team announced and later confirmed.
“After months of hard work, I was devastated (Wednesday) when an MRI revealed a torn meniscus that will require further surgery,” Trout wrote on X. “Playing and competing is a huge part of my life. This is as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans.”
The circumstances surrounding Trout’s re-torn meniscus are unclear. He initially underwent surgery for the tear on May 3, and after a longer-than-normal recovery, he began a rehab assignment at Triple A last week.
His rehab assignment lasted just two innings and he returned to Anaheim for further evaluation after some discomfort. An MRI came back clean and Trout said he expected an imminent restart of his rehab process.
But on Monday, he began feeling severe pain, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. Follow-up scans showed the tear. It’s unclear if there was a specific incident that caused him to re-injure himself.
— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) August 1, 2024
“I’m not the emotional type, but being in the room with him and hearing the news was tough,” Minasian said. “Nobody wants to play more, nobody cares more about this building, this fan base, this team, than him. He’s going to come back … he’s going to win the MVP and he’s going to hit 70 home runs. Book it.”
The meniscus tear was in a different location, Minasian said, so it wasn’t necessarily a recurrence of his original injury.
“There’s no event,” he said. “This is not a guy playing one-on-one basketball. You know how committed this guy is to coming back. I know everybody’s like, ‘What happened? Why?’ I get it. I have the same questions. That said, sometimes things happen. And sometimes that’s the answer.”
Minasian added that the Angels haven’t discussed moving Trout out of center field or how to manage his body. At this point, though, Trout’s durability is a legitimate concern. He’ll have averaged 66.5 games per season over the past four years.
Trout missed the last four months of 2021 with a calf injury. He missed a month of 2022 with a back injury. He missed the second half of last season with a hamate fracture. And now, in 2024, the knee issues are ongoing.
“The injuries are real. I get it,” Minasian said. “Those are facts. I also know that this is someone who will do everything he can to get back on the field. We have to make contingency plans for everyone on the list.”
The reality is, though, Trout isn’t just anyone. He’s an all-time superstar under contract for the next six seasons and owed more than $210 million. There may need to be some notable changes in how the Angels manage his workload and how often he’s on the field.
“No, there’s a lot of people who’ve had meniscus surgery,” manager Ron Washington said when asked if they should manage Trout differently next year. “It’s just unfortunate he’s got another tear. He’s getting stronger, he’s going into spring training, he’s going to get ready for a season and we’re looking forward to when he comes back.”
Minasian said the team had discussed potential swing changes with Trout in recent weeks. The GM said Trout was “very, very excited” to implement them upon his return.
On top of Trout’s injuries, his on-field performance when healthy has not been the same as in his prime. He is hitting just .220 this season with an .867 OPS, well below his career average.
It’s a difficult time for Trout, who turns 33 on Aug. 7. After nine years of virtually no health issues — nine years in which he was undeniably the game’s best offensive player — the last four seasons have marked a drastic change.
The Angels still believe Trout can be an MVP in the future, but the present offers a much bleaker outlook.
“It’s just left us all speechless,” said Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who has become a team leader this past year. “I feel for him more than anybody. I feel for his family. Beckham (Trout) loves coming to watch his dad throw balls, just like we do. So yeah, it’s frustrating news.”
(Photo by Mike Trout: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
