ANAHEIM, Calif. – For the third time within the last 4 seasons, Mike Trout’s 12 months ended prematurely attributable to injury.
The three-time MVP will miss the remaining of 2024 attributable to a second meniscus tear in his left knee, the team announced and he later confirmed it.
“After months of hard work, I was devastated (Wednesday) when an MRI showed a tear in my meniscus that will require further surgery,” Trout posted on X. “Playing and competing is a huge part of my life. This is as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans.”
The circumstances of how Trout re-tore his meniscus are unclear. He underwent surgery for a tear on May 3 and, after a longer-than-usual recovery, began rehab at Triple A final week.
His rehab stint lasted just two innings, and he returned to Anaheim for further evaluation after experiencing some discomfort. An MRI showed no abnormalities, and Trout said he expects to restart his rehab process soon.
On Monday, nonetheless, he began to feel severe pain, said Perry Minasian, general manager of the Los Angeles Angels. A follow-up exam showed the tear. It is unclear if there was a selected incident that led to his re-injury.
— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) 1 August 2024
“I'm not the emotional guy, but being in the room with him and hearing the news was tough,” Minasian said. “Nobody wants to play more, nobody cares more about this building, this fan base, this team than he does. He's going to come back … he's going to win the MVP and he's going to hit 70 home runs. That's for sure.”
The meniscus tear was in a distinct location, said Minasian, so it was not necessarily a re-tear of his original injury.
“There's no event,” he said. “This isn't someone out there playing one-on-one basketball. You know how eager this guy is to get back. I know everyone's wondering, 'What happened? Why?' I understand that. I have the same questions. That being said, sometimes things happen. And sometimes that's the answer.”
Minasian added that the Angels haven't discussed moving Trout out of center field or methods to manage his body. At this point, nonetheless, Trout's durability is a legitimate concern. Over the past 4 years, he has played a median of 66.5 games per season.
Trout missed the ultimate 4 months of 2021 with a calf strain. He missed a month in 2022 with a back injury. He missed the second half of last season with a hamstring fracture. And now, in 2024, the knee problems persist.
“The injuries are real. I understand that,” Minasian said. “Those are facts. I also know that this is someone who will do everything he can to get back on the field. We have to create contingency plans for everyone on the roster.”
The reality, nonetheless, is that Trout isn’t just anyone. He is an all-time superstar under contract for the subsequent six seasons and owed greater than $210 million. Significant changes may have to be made to how the Angels handle his workload and the way often he plays on the sector.
“No, a lot of people have had meniscus surgery,” manager Ron Washington said when asked in the event that they would should treat Trout otherwise next 12 months. “It's just too bad he blew it again. He's going to get strong again, he's going to get into spring training, he's going to get ready for the season and we're looking forward to him coming back.”
Minasian said the team has been talking to Trout over the past few weeks about potential swing changes, and the GM said Trout is “really, really excited” to implement them once he returns.
In addition to Trout's injuries, his performance on the sector when healthy has not been the identical as in his prime. He batted just .220 this season with an OPS of .867, well below his profession average.
These are difficult times for Trout, who turns 33 on August 7. After nine years with almost no health problems – nine years by which he was unquestionably one of the best offensive player in the sport – the last 4 seasons have marked a drastic turnaround.
The Angels still consider Trout may be an MVP in the longer term, but the current presents a far bleaker outlook.
“It leaves us all speechless,” said Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe, who rose to turn out to be team leader last 12 months. “I feel for him more than anyone else. I feel for his family, too. Beckham (Trout) loves to come and watch his dad play, as do we. So, yeah, it's frustrating news.”
image credit : www.nytimes.com