"I don't think Mike Trout would be recognized" - Brent Rooker believes Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani surpass Angels superstar in public recognition
Mike Trout peaked between 2012-16, so an argument could be made that he should have won all five MVPs, instead of just three. However, it's almost a decade now, and new stars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have taken over the league.
While Trout hasn't retired nor has shown any signs of struggle at the plate, the outfielder hasn't been healthy during the regular season. Only once has he played over 100 games in the past five seasons. He played only 29 times in 2024, while Ohtani and Judge respectively won the 2024 MVP trophies in NL and AL unanimously.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker, on Friday's edition of "Grind City Media," talked about whether the younger generation would be able to recognize baseball stars in public.
"Shohei Ohtani and Aaron can't go out without being recognized," Rooker said (1:33:38 onwards).
A panelist asked Rooker whether he would put Mike Trout in the same list.
"Yeah, I don't think he would be recognized," Rooker answered.
However, Rooker mentioned that "Mike Trout is the best player ever."
Mike Trout second coming on the cards?
There's an argument among fans that sooner or later Mike Trout could hang up his shoes. That's because the star outfielder hasn't been able to keep up, with injuries bothering him in the last five years. Because of a torn meniscus in 2024, he missed almost the entire season.
In terms of stats, he showed signs of struggle. In the 2023 season, his 132 OPS+ was his lowest since his debut year (2011). However, to start the 2024 season, he slashed .306/.382/.735 line and 0.9 fWAR in first 11 games while also quickly hitting six home runs.
Trout aims to return to the Angels in 2025. If they want to compete for the postseason spot next year, they will need to do two things. First, make sure, Trout remains healthy.
For that, analysts have suggested that let him play purely as DH to avoid injuries. Second, add players this offseason, which could support Trout in offense and also on the pitching front.