The Los Angeles Angels had Thursday off but return to action Friday night to host the Milwaukee Brewers for a three-game weekend series.
Los Angeles is coming off a sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros, a series that ended with veteran star Mike Trout serving as the designated hitter on Wednesday. He finished 1-for-4 at the plate.
Ahead of Friday’s opener, the Angels announced a notable lineup change involving the 12-time All-Star and three-time MVP.
Angels Announce Mike Trout Change
After serving as the designated hitter in Wednesday’s series finale and getting Thursday off, Trout will return to center field against Milwaukee.
He’ll bat second behind Zach Neto, while Jo Adell will start in right field and Jose Siri will patrol left.
Siri sat out Wednesday’s game but still logged two at-bats as a pinch hitter for Josh Lowe. Jorge Soler also returns to the lineup Friday and will serve as the designated hitter.
Angels 7/31
Z. Neto SS
M. Trout CF
N. Schanuel 1B
J. Soler DH
V. Grissom 2B
J. Adell RF
D. Guzman 3B
T. d’Arnaud C
J. Siri LFR. Johnson SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) July 31, 2026
Trout’s 2026 Season
Trout has battled injuries over the past few years, but he has still appeared in 90 games this season. He’s batting .244 with 63 runs, 79 hits, 18 home runs, and 40 RBIs while posting a .393 slugging percentage and a .460 OPS.
Angels Right Now
The Angels have fallen well out of postseason contention. They enter Friday with a 42-67 record, the worst in the AL West, trailing the division lead by 13 games and sitting 13.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
As a result, Los Angeles is expected to be one of the more active sellers ahead of Monday’s Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The Angels already began reshaping their roster this week by trading catcher Logan O’Hoppe and right-handed pitcher Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers.
Several other players, including Jo Adell, Jorge Soler, and, most notably, shortstop Zach Neto, have also surfaced in trade rumors.
Los Angeles Angels Announce Mike Trout Change Before Brewers Series