Shohei Ohtani's decision to sign a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers rocked the entire sports world. But Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are moving on despite losing one of the best players the game has ever seen. Trout addressed Ohtani's absence and how it is impacting the Halos in spring training, via MLB Network.
“I knew it was going to be a lot different. When you lose a guy like Shohei, what he obviously does on the field… It's a little bit quieter in the clubhouse,” Trout said. “We've had a great start to camp. We are eager to get going.”
Rumors about a potential Mike Trout trade swirled throughout the offseason. And in all reality, it would not have been surprising to see Trout ask to be moved. After all, the Angels have not reached the playoffs since 2014, and they failed to receive much of anything in return after losing Ohtani.
Trout's loyalty cannot be questioned, though. He wants to win, but he wants to do it in Anaheim. Although Trout left the door open for a possible trade at some point in the future, he has made it clear that right now he's focused on playing with the Angels.
There is no denying the fact that Trout and Ohtani's teams have different expectations for the 2024 season, though.
Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani set to lead Angels, Dodgers in 2024
The Dodgers have aspirations of winning the World Series in 2024. If they fail to reach the Fall Classic this season, it would be considered a major letdown.
The Angels, meanwhile, are just hoping to sneak into the postseason. It's almost impossible to accept the fact that Trout, who is one of the best players in the sport, has only appeared in three total playoff games.
So is Mike Trout optimistic heading into the '24 campaign?
“When you bring a different manager in (the Angels hired Ron Washington this past offseason) it obviously brings different dynamics,” Trout said on MLB Network. “All the managers I've had, I've liked them. They were great managers. Nothing on them, I loved playing for all of them.
“When you bring a new group in, you don't know what to expect… As soon as I heard that Wash (Ron Washington) got the job, I got a lot of texts and a lot of calls from ex-players. Some players that played with him…. They just said they love him. I was really excited to get into camp…. I'm looking forward to getting it going.”
Washington is respected around the baseball world. The Angels are hoping that he can help the team get back on track and start playing a competitive brand of baseball.
In the end, it all begins with Mike Trout. If Trout can stay healthy and lead this ball club on the field, perhaps the Angels will surprise some people in the American League.
Follow Us
Subscribe