Angels GM Gives Update On Mike Trout Trade Rumors

Heading into the offseason, the Los Angeles Angels had big decisions to make on the futures of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani is obviously the game's biggest free agent, with several teams pushing the bidding well over $500 million as a decision nears.

READ: THE SHOHEI OHTANI FREE AGENCY SITUATION SOUNDS LIKE A BIT OF A MESS, AND ALSO MAY BE WRAPPING UP

But Trout's status was potentially even more interesting, and rumors suggested he may be available in trade as the Angels look to cut salary.

Since his full time debut in 2012, Trout has widely been viewed as the best player in baseball. His defensive prowess at a premium position and combination of speed and power with elite on base skills earned him a massive, $426.5 million contract. And with 85.1 career WAR, Trout's already likely secured himself a first ballot Hall of Fame vote, despite being just 32-years-old.

For all those reasons, he's still among the most desired commodities in baseball...Except he also can't stop getting hurt. Trout played 134 games in 2019, then 53 in 2020 (out of 60), just 36 in 2021, 119 in 2022 and 82 in 2023. That inability to stay on the field and the fact that he has seven years and well over $200 million remaining on his extension made it tough to see how the Angels could trade him without eating a substantial portion of his salary.

And based on comments Tuesday from the team's general manager Perry Minasian, it doesn't look like they'll have to.

Mianasian told reporters that "Mike Trout is not getting traded. 100 percent."

Sounds pretty definitive!

ANAHEIM, CA: Mike Trout during the MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mike Trout Staying Put In Anaheim

A Trout trade would always have been difficult to agree on, considering the dollar figure involved and what he's meant to the Angels organization.

While the potential market would have been large considering his profile and the fact that he's still just 32, the Angels would have had to eat a ton of money to get a decent prospect return. And if Ohtani leaves, it'd be hard to justify trading Trout to the team's fans.

That doesn't mean it's not still frustrating for neutral fans of the game who wanted to see one of the best players in the history of the sport play consistently in the postseason. Even though Trout is arguably past his prime, the fact that he's had just three games in October is a crime against the sport. Assuming Ohtani does leave, the team's postseason odds go down even further for 2024.

For Trout's sake, hopefully Minasian and owner Arte Moreno commit to getting him another opportunity to play October baseball, if they're going to keep him trapped in Anaheim.