The Los Angeles Angels are painfully familiar with the downside of long-term contracts, and Bleacher Report believes one of the most iconic deals in franchise history is approaching its most uncomfortable phase. In its breakdown of MLB contracts that could become major financial headaches by 2028, Mike Trout’s deal landed squarely in the danger zone—not because of sentiment, but because the numbers and aging curves are becoming harder to ignore.
Bleacher Report’s analysis focused strictly on cash owed beginning in 2028, removing luxury-tax considerations and emotional attachment from the equation. That approach casts a harsh light on Trout’s remaining years with the Angels, as the organization continues to pay superstar money while receiving something far closer to solid-but-mortal production.
Mike Trout’s Decline Is No Longer Hypothetical
Mike Trout will be entering his age-36 season in 2028 with three years and more than $100 million remaining on his contract. For most franchises, that would be alarming on its own. For the Angels, it’s particularly painful because the warning signs are already here.
Trout was healthier in 2025 than in recent seasons, appearing in 130 games after years of prolonged absences. On the surface, that looked like a positive step. Dig deeper, and the picture changes. Trout stopped playing the field after April, functioning almost exclusively as a designated hitter, and his offensive production fell sharply from his career norms.
His OPS dropped below .800, his strikeout rate climbed to the highest mark of his career, and his home run frequency dipped to levels not seen since his early years. While he still flashes elite power on occasion—including milestone blasts that remind fans of his peak—the consistency that once defined Trout is no longer there.
Bleacher Report emphasized that this matters because Trout’s previous decline was largely masked by injury. From 2021 through 2024, he missed nearly 60 percent of Angels games but still produced at an elite rate when healthy. In 2025, he stayed on the field—and looked undeniably diminished. That distinction suggests aging, not just bad luck, is now driving the regression.
Why the Contract Still Hurts—Even as It Winds Down
Trout’s deal doesn’t rank among the league’s worst purely because of length. In fact, compared to newer megadeals, the Angels are closer to the end than the beginning. But timing and opportunity cost make it especially painful. By 2028, Trout will be turning 37 midseason, still owed an elite-level salary while no longer providing elite-level impact.
The Angels can at least take some solace in the math. By that point, Trout’s contract will have shrunk to roughly $35 million annually with no additional extensions looming behind it. That keeps it from ranking higher on Bleacher Report’s list. But the damage is cumulative. The organization already spent years paying Trout and Anthony Rendon simultaneously while neither could stay on the field consistently, stalling any real rebuild or retooling effort.
Even now, Trout’s presence limits flexibility. His salary occupies a massive portion of payroll, and his defensive limitations restrict roster construction. Moving him is unrealistic given the remaining money and his 10-and-5 rights. Keeping him means accepting reduced production at a premium cost.
Bleacher Report isn’t arguing that the Angels were wrong to sign Trout. At the time, it was unavoidable. He was the face of baseball and the franchise. The problem is that the Angels never capitalized on his prime, leaving them with the worst possible version of a superstar contract: expensive, declining, and disconnected from contention.
As 2028 approaches, Trout remains a legend in Anaheim. But legends don’t win games on their own—and the final years of his contract symbolize how the Angels’ past ambitions continue to weigh heavily on their future.
Angels Face an Uncomfortable Reality About a Franchise-Defining Deal