Ken Rosenthal hints at Mike Trout’s trade candidacy

Will the Los Angeles Angels trade Mike Trout? It is a question that has become increasingly common in recent seasons. Due to Trout’s injury trouble, though, the question has remained on the back-burner during past trade deadlines. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently detailed a potential scenario in which Trout trade rumors could heat up once again.

“If Trout stays healthy enough to at least force the issue for Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno, the deadline might be even more interesting than usual,” Rosenthal wrote in an article for The Athletic. “Assuming Moreno, who operates according to his own whims, is willing to play along.”

The last part of Rosenthal’s paragraph is extremely important. MLB fans surely remember the final years of Shohei Ohtani’s Angels career. Although the team continued to struggle, Ohtani established himself as the best player in the sport. The obvious decision was to trade Ohtani before he entered free agency, but the Angels failed to capitalize on the obvious decision.

Ohtani entered free agency and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Mike Trout situation is different since the outfielder is past his prime and is under contract through 2030. If Trout plays well and stays healthy through July, though, trading him would make sense for the Halos unless they surprise the MLB world and find themselves in position to compete for a postseason spot.

However, the Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014. Could that change in 2025? It is possible, but rather unlikely. Assuming the Angels struggle once again, trading Trout would be a respectable decision.

Yes, the decision may upset fans, as Trout has been the face of the franchise for over a decade. He was once considered to be the best player in the sport. The Angels need to rebuild, though, and trading Trout for promising prospects could make a significant impact in the team’s future.

It remains to be seen if the Angels will trade Mike Trout. If the outfielder avoids injury trouble through the first few months of 2025, Los Angeles would be smart to at least consider the idea.