"They can say whatever they want" - Mike Trout adamant about winning with Angels despite trade speculations

Mike Trout is aware of the trade rumors that surround him. As his team fails to put talent around him year after year, many fans and analysts believe he should try to ask for a trade and land on a winning team. No one has really seen what Trout can do in October, as he's only been there once. That doesn't concern the slugger, though.

Trout said via The Athletic:

“It fuels me more. The overall satisfaction, when we do win here, it will be greater than if I did go somewhere else. So when I hear, ‘Trout needs to get traded,’ or, ‘He’s happy to be there,’ they can say whatever they want. I’ve got one thing on my mind. That’s trying to win here.”

The Los Angeles Angels superstar isn't asking to get traded away from the team and into a better situation. He wants to make the situation better by improving himself and returning to MVP form. He also wants the front office to make some moves to improve the team around him.

He admitted recently that there might be a time when he does think a trade might be interesting, but that time is not now. Now is the time for the multi-time MVP to put his best foot forward for the team he's on now.

Mike Trout not expected to make postseason again

Even with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, the Angels never made the playoffs. With Ohtani off to greener pastures across town, the Angels are sitting even more devoid of top shelf talent than they have been before.

That has most projections seating them fourth in the division, ahead of just the Oakland Athletics. Unless things change, it's hard to see them surpassing the Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.

There are still two impact free agents left in Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, but it remains to be seen if they have interest from LA. It also remains to be seen how much one or even two good pitchers could even improve this team for this season.