The Los Angeles Angels will miss the playoffs for the 11th straight season, unable to break their long postseason skid. The unfortunate aspect of the Angels’ failures over the last decade is that fans have not had the opportunity to experience Mike Trout’s magnificence on the huge postseason stage. Trout’s heyday has passed, and he now has zero playoff victories, one playoff participation, and three winning seasons to show for it.
Trout appears to be nearing the end of his career, as injuries have stripped him of the exceptional productivity that fans have come to expect from him over the years. But he’s already accomplished so much in his career that even if he slows down even more now that he’s in his 30s, he still has a lot more laurels to earn.
In a 3-0 victory against the Colorado Rockies this past Saturday, the Angels star became the 400th home run hitter. In the top of the eighth inning, he hit a hanging sinker all the way to center field for his 400th home run.
Trout is just the 59th player in MLB history to reach 400 career home runs, and as a result, the Angels star sent a poignant statement to the fans who have supported him throughout his career.
“400. Last night was unreal. I’m grateful to be able to play this game that I enjoy. Thank you to my teammates, family, and fans for all of your support. Let’s keep it going!” Trout said on his official X account (previously Twitter).
Does Mike Trout have a second wind in him for the Angels?
2025 is by far Trout’s poorest season. His OPS of.772 is the lowest of his career in a single season, and he has given minimal defensive value since moving out of center field and becoming the Angels’ designated hitter the majority of the time.
His current WAR of 1.3 (per Fangraphs) demonstrates that he is a shadow of his former self, as injury issues have taken their toll on someone who was once on track to become the best player to ever play in MLB. To put it all into perspective, Trout had 2.1 WAR in 36 games in 2021. He’s appeared in 125 games this season.
Getting through a season without catastrophic injury is a significant accomplishment for Trout and the Angels. But will this pave the way for a redemption season, or will he remain at his current level indefinitely?
