Part of what made the 2021 season so disappointing for the Los Angeles Angels was that — while Shohei Ohtani was breaking every record under the sun — Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were unable to take the field.
Trout suffered a calf strain in mid-May and never took the field again in 2021. Meanwhile, a number of injuries to Rendon’s legs ultimately led to the discovery of a hip impingement that needed to be surgically repaired.
The Angels two highest-paid players — making a combined $65 million in 2021 — played a combined 94 games. No matter how good other players are playing, a team simply can’t overcome their two best players missing a majority of the season.
But both have had ample time to recover from their season-ending injuries, and reportedly, both are 100% ready to go for Spring Training 2022. according to Mike DiGiovanna of The L.A. Times:
His agent, Craig Landis, said Trout, who was limited to 36 games in 2021, is “100%” and is expected to be a full participant when spring training begins.
A person familiar with [Rendon’s] recovery but not authorized to speak publicly about it said Rendon should be a “full-go” when the lockout ends.
This is exciting news for fans of the Angels and the organization itself. Heading into 2022, L.A. figures to have one of the most dominant lineups in all of baseball. Ohtani, Trout, Rendon, and Jared Walsh make for one of the best four-man combinations in MLB.
If the Angels can get a fully healthy — or close to — season from Trout and Rendon, their pitching staff has seen enough improvement to potentially discuss a playoff bid.
When Spring Training begins on March 18, Trout and Rendon should be taking the field. Given that fans have not seen either of them play baseball in upwards of 10 months, it’s safe to say this will be a great moment for fans of the Halos.
Ohtani has No. 2 ranked L.A. Sports Moment
At the 2021 L.A. Sports Awards, fans were asked to rank the 10-best sports moments of the year for the city of L.A. Ohtani being named the unanimous MVP of the American League was ranked No. 2 in this category, only falling to Kobe Bryant posthumously being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
