The Los Angeles Angels will miss the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, as they cannot find a way to snap their longstanding postseason drought. The sad reality of the Angels' ineptitude over the past decade-plus is that fans have not had an opportunity to witness the greatness of Mike Trout on the grand postseason stage. And now, Trout's prime has come and gone and he has zero playoff wins and just one playoff appearance and three winning seasons to show for it.
It sure does look like Trout is now in the twilight of his career, as injuries have sapped him of the elite production everyone has been accustomed to seeing out of him for years. But he's already accomplished so much of his career that even as he slows down even further now that he's in his 30s, there are a lot of accolades for him to accomplish.
One such feat that the Angels star accomplished this past Saturday was joining the 400-home run club in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies. The 400th long ball of his career came in the top of the eighth inning when he mashed a hanging sinker all the way to center field for a 485-foot bomb.
Trout is only the 59th player in MLB history to hit the 400 mark in career home runs, and in turn, the Angels star penned a heartfelt message towards the fans who've supported him his entire career.
“400. Last night was surreal. Blessed to play this game I love. Thank you to my teammates, family, and the fans for all the support. Let’s keep it rolling!” Trout wrote on his official account on X (formerly Twitter).
400.
Last night was surreal. Blessed to play this game I love. Thank you to my teammates, family, and the fans for all the support. Let’s keep it rolling! pic.twitter.com/RCSxf5lLOE
— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) September 22, 2025
Does Mike Trout have a second wind in him for the Angels?
2025 is, by far, the worst season of Trout's career. His OPS of .772 is the worst of his career over a single season, and he's provided no defensive value whatsoever now that he has moved off of center field and is now the Angels' designated hitter most of the time.
His current WAR of 1.3 (per Fangraphs) has made it clear that he's a shell of his former self, as injury woes have taken their toll on someone who was once on the path to become the greatest ever to play in MLB. Just to put everything in perspective, Trout recorded 2.1 WAR in 2021 in just 36 games. He's played in 125 games this year.
Getting through a season without serious injury is a big win for Trout and the Angels. But will this set him up for a redemption season, or is this his usual level for good?
