Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout is — inarguably — the greatest baseball player of this generation. Manning center field for the Angels since 2011, he is a three-time MVP, nine-time Silver Slugger and 11-time All-Star. He could retire today and would be a no-doubt, surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer.
But since the start of the 2021 season, injuries have been the story surrounding Trout. He has played in 266 of a possible 648 games, an uninspiring 41.0% of games over the last four years. And given his talent and invested money, the Angels need him to be healthy in order to have a chance at being competitive.
In recent years, more and more people within and outside of the Angels organization have suggested Trout moving to a corner outfield position to preserve his legs. Every year, Trout has rejected the idea, saying that he is a center fielder and always has been. But at the end of 2024, his tone started to slowly shift.
And now, with Spring Training for the 2025 season underway, the once unthinkable has now been confirmed. Mike Trout is going to be the Angels starting right fielder this season. He announced the decision and what went into it, according to Jeff Fletcher of The O.C. Register:
“Look at my last couple years,” Trout said before the Angels’ first full-squad workout of the spring. “Trying to preserve my legs and go run some balls down in right. That’s what we came to and I’m with it.”
“It went great,” Trout said of the meeting. “Kind of just threw everything on the table, as in what’s best for me, body-wise, to keep me on the field. Came to the conclusion that I’m going to go to right field. I like it. Try it out. See where it goes.”
Trout will also spend some time in center and some time as a designated hitter. But his primary position in the starting lineup will be in right field. It’s a big change for Trout, and an admission that he is ready to make necessary sacrifices to potentially elongate his career and effective years.
Angels options for center field
With Trout in right field and Taylor Ward in left, the only two options for the Angels in center are Mickey Moniak and Jo Adell. Moniak is more of a pure center fielder, but Adell’s stunning defensive improvement in 2024 has earned him the right to be in serious consideration.
