Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout was replaced during the game due to knee pain from surgery last year.
Trout started as the No. 3 right fielder against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, U.S., on June 1 (Korea time).
Trout hit a single to right field with one out and a runner on first in the first inning, leading to a consolidation of scoring opportunities. After two outs, the Angels scored the first point with Logan O'Hoppe's clutch hit. In the third inning, trailing 1-2 with one out, Trout hit a ground ball toward second base off Emerson Hancock's sinker traveling at 94.2 mph (about 156 km).
Trout sprinted to first base at a speed of 29.7 feet per second (about 11.6 m). It was Trout's fastest sprint speed of the season. At the end, he stretched out his left foot to step on the base, but the result was an out. Afterward, Trout showed discomfort in his left knee.
Trout went out for right field defense in the bottom of the third inning, but was replaced by pinch hitter Jo Adell in the top of the fourth with two outs and runners on first and second with the score tied at 3-3.
After the game, Trout said, "When I returned to the dugout after running the bases in the third, I felt fine, but when I went out to right field, I started to feel 'weird.' As I began jogging in the outfield, that feeling intensified. I wanted to think wisely." Manager Ron Washington noted, "It’s better to be cautious than to ignore it. That’s why we replaced Trout."
After the replacement, Trout received a doctor's examination and basic tests, all of which came back normal. He underwent ice treatment and electromagnetic therapy, and by the end of the game, Trout said, "(In the third) it just felt weird. After treatment, I felt my condition improved." His participation in the game on June 2 will be monitored.
Trout debuted in Major League Baseball in 2011, appearing in 40 games, and in 2012, he played 139 games, hitting .326 with 30 home runs, 83 RBIs, 129 runs scored, and 49 stolen bases, with an OPS of .963. He was selected as an All-Star and won the American League Rookie of the Year and Silver Slugger awards. He finished second in the MVP voting.
By 2019, Trout had won the MVP award three times, been an All-Star for eight consecutive years, and won the Silver Slugger award seven times, boasting an impressive list of accolades. He also finished second in MVP voting four times. The Los Angeles Angels extended Trout’s contract in March 2019 for 12 years and $426.5 million (approximately 611.1 billion won). At that time, it was the first $400 million contract in Major League history.
However, Trout has been injury-prone since 2021. He played 36 games in 2021 (calf injury), 119 games in 2022 (back injury), 82 games in 2023 (wrist fracture), and 29 games in the 2024 season (left knee surgery). He missed 59% (382 games) of the Angels' games over four seasons.
This season, Trout switched his position from center field to right field. This adjustment was made to reduce his workload and protect against injuries, as right field requires a smaller defensive range than center field.
When healthy in the past, Trout performed well, but this season he has played 29 games, hitting .179 (19 hits in 106 at-bats) with 9 home runs, 18 RBIs, 14 runs scored, an on-base percentage of .264, a slugging percentage of .462, and an OPS of .726. Aside from the 9 home runs, his hitting metrics are at the bottom tier.
The struggling Angels, lacking production from their key hitters, are currently on a five-game losing streak with a record of 12 wins and 17 losses, placing them last in the American League West. The Angels, who have not reached the postseason in any of Shohei Ohtani's six seasons, are likely to continue facing a dark period.
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