An MLB insider worries whether the Philadelphia Phillies’ desired target will ever be relocated.
Mike Trout was only able to play in one of the three games against the Los Angeles Angels because he injured his knee. Trout will have surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee.
The recuperation is expected to take two to three months, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. It has been a difficult few seasons for probably the best player in baseball history.
Trout, a dream target for the Phillies, missed more games than he played from 2021 to 2023 and is expected to do so again in 2024. While his talent and career statistics are clear, avoiding the injuries he’s endured over the last four years has proven difficult.
Still, if the New Jersey native and Philadelphia sports devotee become available before this, Dave Dombrowski would very certainly do whatever it took to close the transaction. Dombrowski makes whatever move he can to improve the squad, and the decision to bring in someone as well-known in the area as Trout is a no-brainer.
However, there comes a moment when enough is enough. And the risk is simply not worth it.
Rosenthal says a trade for the Angels star is “now even less likely.”
According to Rosenthal, a deal would have required several events to occur. These include Los Angeles being a terrible team, Trout returning to MVP form, and owner Arte Moreno transferring Trout.
Moreno, who chose not to trade Shohei Ohtani at the deadline last year, has made a series of poor decisions. Instead of a historic haul, they received the No. 74 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
While Moreno did not move Ohtani, it remains unclear what his plans are with Trout. Despite the injuries, the return will be lower than before, but there is still value. Unfortunately, the likelihood of him sticking with the Angels is real.
“Trout, with his most recent injury, is entering similar territory. More than ever, he seemed doomed to be Mr. Angel,” Rosenthal wrote. “As good as his intentions might have been, that’s a very sad thing to say.”
