Mike Trout Placed on Injured List, Halting Impressive Comeback Season

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout will be sidelined as he heads to the injured list due to a hamstring injury, as reported by The Athletic's Sam Blum and Ken Rosenthal on Thursday. In his absence, the team will promote former top prospect Christian Moore to fill the vacant roster spot.

This setback comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Trout, who was enjoying a resurgence in performance this season. At 34 years old, he has hit 17 home runs and boasts an .866 OPS, making him one of the league's most notable comeback stories. After a rough start to June, Trout had found his rhythm again, hitting three home runs and driving in five runs over his last week of play.

Trout was on track to make his 12th All-Star appearance and had garnered 926,601 votes, placing him second among American League outfielders, just behind Aaron Judge of the Yankees. His journey has been riddled with injuries from 2021 to 2024, including issues with his calf, back, and knee, which impacted his performance last season.

In a strategic move, the Angels shifted Trout from center field to right field last year in hopes of preserving his health. He participated in 130 games but struggled, finishing with a .232 batting average and striking out 178 times. This spring, the team decided to return him to center field for greater comfort and reduced strain.

With Trout's current injury, Christian Moore steps into the lineup. Drafted as a second baseman in 2024, Moore has had a challenging time against major league pitching. After a stint on the injured list in May while with Triple-A Salt Lake, he has rebounded impressively, hitting six home runs and achieving a .474 batting average with a 1.423 OPS this June.