“Feel little sorry for the owner” - MLB analyst reflects on Mike Trout’s lucrative contract and impact of his season-ending injury
On Thursday, Mike Trout announced that he would miss the rest of the season due to another torn meniscus that will require a second surgery. The Los Angeles Angels superstar is in his sixth year of a mammoth $426.5 million contract and has been unable to play more than 119 games in any of the last four seasons. This has made MLB analysts sympathize with the organization.
On MLB Now, analyst Jon Heyman noted the weight of Trout's contract and the implications his injury curtailed last four seasons have had on the Angels organization and ownership.
"It is bad for everyone. ... It is difficult. He is a competitor, he wants to be out there. Tough on the fans, tough on Mike Trout. Maybe I am the only one who feels sorry for the owner. But six years and $212 million to go on this contract, it is a tough situation for everybody involved," Heyman said.
Mike Trout was shut down completely after suffering an injury during a late-April clash against the Boston Red Sox. The 11-time All-Star was batting at .220 but was the first batter to reach 10 home runs this season.
He returned to training two months back and was scheduled for a Triple-A rehab spell, which was cut short when he felt discomfort. Further MRIs detected a second torn meniscus that will keep him out of action in 2024.
Looking at Mike Trout's recent injuries
Mike Trout lit up the MLB from 2012 to 2019. In eight seasons with the Angels, he won the AL Rookie of the Year, three AL MVP awards and finished in the top four in MVP voting each year. After the pandemic shortened the season, Trout's injuries started haunting him.
In 2021, he suffered a calf strain in a simple play to third base that curtailed his 1.090 OPS season through to May. Next year, Trout was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition that affected his playing time, significantly limiting him to 119 games.
Last year, after a relatively normal swing on July 3, Trout suffered a hamate bone fracture, and he returned for just one game in August before being shut down again.