We all know exactly where Mike Trout will end up five years after he hangs up his cleats: Cooperstown, New York. There’s no doubt his plaque will feature a Los Angeles Angels cap when he’s enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame. The real uncertainty, though, is whether he’ll actually finish his playing career as an Angel. The fact that this year’s All-Star Game is being held in Philadelphia only sharpens the focus on that very question.
When reporters asked him on Monday about possibly waiving his no-trade clause, his answer caught people off guard. He’s far too respectful to come out and plainly request a trade, but the way he talked about Philadelphia being his home was certainly thought-provoking and hard to ignore. It really shouldn’t shock anyone that Trout would want to return to his roots, suit up for the Phillies, and spend his final years competing in high-stakes games.
Over the years, Trout has had plenty of chances to leave the Angels. Given how much the franchise has struggled, he could easily have asked or even pushed for a deal elsewhere. But that’s just not who he is. Instead, season after season has slipped by with little to show for it.
In the past, Trout never gave any real hint that he wanted out of Los Angeles. He’s always been exceptionally loyal and has often expressed a strong preference for staying with one organization his entire career.
Lately, though, the Angels seem to be moving in reverse, and Trout isn’t getting any younger or staying any healthier. This year has actually gone relatively well for him, even with his 35th birthday coming up next month.
His batting average sits at just .237, but he’s still put up 18 home runs, 39 RBIs, 58 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. Clearly, he still brings plenty of value to a lineup value that’s currently going to waste on a last-place team.
It would be almost inhuman if Trout weren’t feeling growing frustration over never really getting a shot at a World Series title. At this stage in his career, his window for winning a championship is shrinking, so it’s only natural that he’d start thinking about a change of scenery.
Sure, there’s something special about spending your entire career in one uniform, but Trout deserves more than this, and why shouldn’t he have the opportunity to head back home?
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