The Los Angeles Angels selected Mike Trout in the first round of the 2009 draft and he’s spent every season of his 15-year career with the team. There’s long been speculation about a Trout trade but the Angels don’t appear in a hurry to move the franchise legend.
Former center fielder Cameron Maybin thinks that should change. Maybin also played in the majors for 15 years and he had a chance to win the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017. Now, he believes, it should be Trout’s turn.
“I think that Angels fans would even agree. I wish they would have traded Mike Trout. Give the guy a chance, man. Reward him for his loyalty actually, how about that? Get him somewhere where he has a chance to win,” Maybin implored, per Foul Territory.
“It’s Mike Trout. He’s still special. Get something for him now and allow him to go win. He deserves it,” he added.
Should the Angels trade Mike Trout?
Once considered the most dominant player in baseball, Trout collected three AL MVP Awards and four second-place finishes from 2012-2019. And the 11-time All-Star has demonstrated that he still has a lot left in the tank in 2025.
While injuries wrecked much of the last four campaigns for Trout, he’s bounced back this season. The 34-year-old veteran (his birthday is August 7) has remained (mostly) available and productive.
However, it’s likely fans have seen the last of his remarkable defense in center. The Angels switched Trout to right field this year in an effort to preserve his health. And after he was sidelined for a month with a bone bruise, Trout moved to DH in his return. He’s remained LA’s designated hitter since rejoining the lineup on May 30.
Although defense was a big part of what made Trout so special earlier in his career, he’s done well at the plate this season. The Angels’ star has 20 home runs, 50 RBI and 48 runs with an .835 OPS and 130 OPS+ in 87 games.
Trout left the yard again on Wednesday as he nears a major career milestone. He’s now just two dingers shy of joining the 400 home run club. He recorded RBI No. 1,000 earlier this year.
While it would be great to see Trout win a championship it probably wouldn’t look quite right with a different team. And, trading Trout is not exactly easy, either. In addition to his no-trade clause and known health issues, the Angels owe Trout around $200 million for five-plus years, per The Athletic’s Sam Blum.
