Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout opened up about his injury frustrations this season.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Trout said, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. “I wanted to get back. It’s tough. It’s been hard.”
Gonzalez noted Angels manager Phil Nevin said Trout will not return this season due to a hand injury. The last time the 11-time All-Star took the field was Aug. 22, but that game was his first appearance since July 3.
“I hired a ton of people to work on my body,” Trout said. “My body felt great. A freak thing happened and I broke my hand.”
His brief return happened because he pushed to get back on the field, but it ended up backfiring.
“When I came back, I was in pain,” Trout said. “My swing wasn’t right. Just wasn’t myself. I was taking it day to day, trying for the soreness and just the discomfort to go away. It never did. Now, giving it a few extra days off, it’s going away. I’m starting my swing process. I’ve been swinging. I’m not going to come back, but I wanted to. I just wanted to get my head straight for the offseason, clear my mind. Just have a healthy offseason.”
Unfortunately for the future Hall of Famer, durability has become a concern of late.
He played 36 games in 2021 because of a torn calf and then 119 games in 2022 because of back concerns. This season’s mark will end up at 82 now that he is no longer returning for the final week of the season.
Despite the injury issues the past few years, he is still one of the best players in league history.
His resume includes three American League MVPs, an AL Rookie of the Year, nine Silver Slugger awards and 11 All-Star selections. His peak may be behind him at 32 years old with so many recent health concerns, but he is still a franchise cornerstone.
Trout will also be particularly important for the Angels next season assuming Shohei Ohtani signs elsewhere, but just keeping him healthy for the full year would be a step in the right direction.
