The Los Angeles Angels announced outfielder Mike Trout as their nominee for the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award. It’s his third nomination in the last four seasons.
The Roberto Clemente Award is viewed as one of Major League Baseball’s most sought after accolades. Each team in MLB selects one nominee, with the winner representing the game in its highest form through a display of extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
Trout’s reach goes well past the baseball field, spending both time and contributing financially to a number of causes. Most recently, he devoted time to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Eli Velasquez, a seven-year-old boy, met with Trout to take in batting practice in the cages, while watching postgame fireworks from the field.
Velasquez was born with a heart condition that required multiple surgeries to address, and he made it his wish to play catch and receive one-on-one coaching from Trout.
The winner of the Roberto Clemente Award is selected via a blue ribbon panel, made up of representatives from the Commissioner’s Office, Capital One, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The panel also includes Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr.
Fans can also take part in the vote, and bios of each selected candidate can be viewed throughout the voting process that will go until the end of the 2023 regular season on Sunday, Oct. 1.
MLB renamed the award after Roberto Clemente in 1973 as a tribute to his passing.
Looking ahead to Mike Trout and the 2024 season
Over the course of 13 seasons, Trout has been fiercely loyal to the Angels. He has routinely defended the franchise amid what is soon to be eight consecutive losing seasons, signed an extension when many expected him to test free agency, and has kept any frustration private within the organization.
But in a monumental offseason following that eighth consecutive losing season, it’s almost certain that Trout’s name will be mentioned in trade rumors.The question was posed directly to Trout, who of course bounced it off. He spoke about his future with the team and what needs to happen.
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