Another disappointing aspect of a disappointing season.
Perhaps the single most impactful impetus for the Angels’ breakdown in the second half of the 2023 season was the injury of centerfielder Mike Trout.
Trout fractured a bone in his hand July 3, and other than a single appearance in August, has missed the rest of the season. He has now been officially shut down for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Trout hadn’t been playing up to his usually high standards, batting .263 with 18 home runs and a .858 OPS, but his absence was felt by a team that has gone 25-45 since his injury. The Angels are eliminated from the playoffs and have some serious existential questions to face in the offseason.
One of those questions could be what to do with Trout, who might be interested in the Halos pursuing a trade. Regardless, the Angels want to ensure that their star is healthy for the 2024 season.
“He had some setbacks and was still feeling some issues in there,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “I think the biggest thing is he’s starting to swing and he’s feeling a lot better and more comfortable so he can go into the offseason knowing he’s fine for next year.”
(Via MLB.com)
As one of the most competitive players in the game, Nevin said that Trout was disappointed in how the season ended.
“I know it’s disappointing for him,” Nevin said. “I’m frustrated for him, not at him. Everyone wants to see Mike Trout play. And nobody more than us. He helps us. He’s one of the greatest players in the game.”
(Via MLB.com)
As the Angels look forward to next season, they are still taking advantage of having one of the best hitters of all time on their roster. Nevin said that Trout is continuing to work on recovering despite being shut down, serving as an example for the Angels’ younger hitters.
“He’s still working,” Nevin said. “He was there this morning doing some work. He swung in the cages yesterday and felt better. But there is still some stuff in there. We made this decision yesterday but he’ll continue to do that all next week.”
(Via MLB.com)
The Angels have two three-game series against the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics before the end of the 2023 season.
