Getty Top Phillies executive Dave Dombrowski loves making huge moves. Could Angels outfielder Mike Trout be in his crosshairs this summer?
The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t make any major offseason moves other than re-signing starting pitcher Aaron Nola to a $172 million deal. Once the 2024 season gets underway, anything is possible as the trade deadline creeps closer. Could president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski take a swing for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout this summer?
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer dreamed up blockbuster trade scenarios on March 11. Trout heading to the Phillies was his final idea. The outfielder landing in Philly would put him in the same city as his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. He’d also team up with fellow 2012 Rookie of the Year winner Bryce Harper.
But those aren’t the only potential perks of getting traded to the Phillies. “There’s also the prospect of Trout getting something he’s never had with the Los Angeles Angels: an automatic ticket to the playoffs,” Rymer explained. “The Phillies are going into 2024 eyeing a third deep playoff run in as many years. Were the 32-year-old Trout to get involved, this would mean a chance to fill in the biggest gap in his Hall of Fame resume.”
Trout has already put together an impressive MLB career. He’s racked up three American League MVP Awards, 11 All-Star Game selections, nine Silver Slugger Awards and two All-Star Game MVPs, per Baseball-Reference. He’s under contract through 2030 as part of a 12-year, $426.5 million contract.
Trout Would Need to Change His Mind About the Future
Watching Trout roam the Citizens Bank Park outfield is a tantalizing thought. It doesn’t seem overly realistic right now, though. Rymer admitted that himself. “However, any deal involving Trout is only going to happen if he changes his stance on wanting to be traded,” he said. “I’m reluctant to take it for granted that he ever will. And even if he did, Angels owner Arte Moreno’s stubbornness would still be a threat to block a deal.”
Trout was asked about his future at the start of spring training on February 19. MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger was among those to capture the outfielder’s thoughts on getting traded. “I think the biggest thing right now is the easy way out would be asking for a trade,” Trout said. “There might be a time, maybe. I haven’t really thought about this. When I signed that contract, I’m loyal and want to win a championship here. I think the overall picture of winning a championship or getting to the playoffs here is a bigger satisfaction than bailing and taking the easy way out.”
It sounds like he’s sure about his immediate future. Something would have to dramatically change with the Angels over the next few months for Trout to shift gears. That’s certainly possible, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Let’s Hope He’s Fully Healthy in 2024
The most important thing for Trout heading into the upcoming season is to simply stay on the field for a full campaign. He hasn’t played in 130-plus games since 2019. That was his most recent AL MVP Award campaign.
Trout played in 53 of a possible 60 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. That was followed by just 36 games in 2021, 119 in 2022 and 82 in 2023. He racked up 362 plate appearances last year, which resulted in a .263/.367/.490 triple slash with 18 home runs, 44 RBI and 54 runs scored.
The 32-year-old has gotten off to a slow start this spring. Through his first 12 games (33 plate appearances), he’s hitting .207/.273/.414 with one home run and five RBI. FanGraphs’ ZiPS projections are only expecting 89 games played from Trout in 2024. However, Steamer is projecting 36 homers, 99 RBI and 94 runs scored with a .259/.354/.510 triple slash in 146 games played.