Mike Trout needs knee surgery

ANAHEIM — Angels famous person Mike Trout had hassle holding again his tears on Tuesday as he described yet one more damage that’s anticipated to maintain him out for an prolonged time period.

Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee in Monday’s 6-5 win over the Phillies and can bear surgical procedure within the coming days, common supervisor Perry Minasian introduced. It’s not anticipated to be a season-ending operation, however no instant timetable was supplied from the Angels or Trout.

“It’s powerful,” stated an emotional Trout previous to the Angels’ 7-5 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday evening at Angel Stadium. “It’s simply irritating. However we’ll get by way of it.”

Trout, 32, stated the toughest half is he’s not even certain when he sustained the damage. He had no knee points main as much as Monday’s sequence opener, however felt one thing whereas jogging off the sphere within the third inning. Trout continued to play by way of the damage, together with stealing second base within the seventh inning and scoring the eventual successful run from second base on a wild pitch. However his knee continued to worsen and he underwent an MRI examination on Tuesday that exposed the injury.

“It’s loopy as a result of after I look again, I don’t even know after I did it,” Trout stated. “Within the third inning after I was going again to the dugout, I felt an ache, however similar to a bit ache the place it was extra like, ‘That is bizarre.’ Didn’t suppose something of it and was hitting and operating and didn’t really feel something. Stole second, felt nothing. It was simply after I did exercise and sat again down and bought again up, that’s after I felt it.”

Trout was off to a robust begin to his season with a .220/.325/.541 line and 10 dwelling runs, which have been tied with Gunnar Henderson for essentially the most within the Majors. Trout has additionally been extra lively on the bases this 12 months, with as many steals (six) as he had within the final 4 years mixed.

Trout known as it one other freak damage that was out of his management and was clearly pissed off by the prospect of lacking time but once more.

“It’s all guesses, making an attempt to pinpoint the place this got here from,” Trout stated. “You play the sport onerous and [stuff] occurs.”

Sadly for Trout and the Angels, accidents have turn into a recurring theme lately. Trout performed in simply 82 video games final 12 months as a result of a fractured wrist and 36 video games in 2021 as a result of a proper calf pressure. He cleared 100 video games performed in 2022 however has not performed in 130 or extra video games since 2019.

“We’re going to overlook Mike,” supervisor Ron Washington stated. “I feel we all know what he means to this group. However the factor about baseball is, when there is a sport on the schedule, it’s important to play. Some guys are going to get the chance that they have been craving. Now, we will see what they’re going to do.”

With Trout out, the Angels signed veteran Kevin Pillar to a one-year deal price $740,000 on Tuesday so as to add to an outfield that consists of Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak. Infelders Luis Rengifo, Ehire Adrianza and Cole Tucker have some expertise there, whereas Bryce Teodosio and Jordyn Adams supply depth at Triple-A Salt Lake.

“Perry goes to do one thing to assist us, get some folks in right here and we’ll see how they slot in,” Washington stated. “You may see Adell in heart subject generally, you may see Rengifo on the market generally and, after all, you’ll see Moniak.”

Moniak has struggled this 12 months after a breakout season in 2023, however he’s anticipated to get extra common taking part in time in Trout’s absence. He was one in every of a number of gamers who talked with Trout about his damage within the clubhouse earlier than the sport.

“That’s our captain, that’s our man, our chief,” Moniak stated. “Him taking place goes to be powerful. We’re simply going to have to carry it down till he’s again and wholesome. But it surely’s brutal.”

Minasian stated it’s a chance for others like Moniak to step up whereas the Angels additionally navigate with out fellow veteran Anthony Rendon, who’s out with a high-grade partial hamstring tear.

“This staff isn’t constructed on one participant, it is not constructed on two gamers,” Minasian stated. “We’re going to have some guys step up. That is the place having a veteran supervisor and having a veteran teaching workers actually turn out to be useful.”

Trout stated he doesn’t know the total particulars of his upcoming operation or the rehab simply but, however that he plans to nonetheless be there for his teammates.

“It hurts proper now however I’ve to have a look at the positives,” Trout stated. “I’ll be again in a number of months. Crush the rehab and assist my teammates.”