Los Angeles Angels

Mike Trout is back for the Los Angeles Angels ahead of Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers.

The Angels officially activated their All-Star outfielder from the injured list after he missed 30 games with a back injury.

👀 pic.twitter.com/B2QwVhOenb

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 19, 2022

The move was expected after Trout told reporters prior to Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners he was on track to play this weekend.

"Everything feels great," Trout said. "I had a recovery day yesterday and I'm doing some stuff today, and hopefully I'll be in there on Friday. I'm full-go."

Trout took batting practice on the field last week when the Angels were hosting the Minnesota Twins. He faced live pitching on Monday and had a workout on Wednesday.

The Angels waited until July 18 to place Trout on the injured list with rib cage inflammation. He hadn't appeared in a game since July 12 with what the club originally said was back spasms.

There was concern about Trout's long-term future after the team's head athletic trainer, Mike Forstad, told reporters on July 27 the three-time American League MVP had a "pretty rare condition" in his spine that could affect him for the rest of his career.

Trout downplayed the situation when he caught wind of Forstad's comments.

"I got back and my phone was blowing up: 'My career is over,'" he said. "It's just rare for a baseball player. I just have to stay on top of it."

There was no indication from his performance prior to going on the injured list that anything might be wrong. Trout has a .270/.368/.599 slash line with 24 homers and 51 RBI in 282 at-bats this season.

The Angels are in the midst of another disappointing year despite having arguably the two most dominant players of this era in Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Their 51-67 record is the fourth-worst mark in the AL, 12.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot.

Los Angeles Angels superstar outfielder Mike Trout suggested Friday that he will return from injury at some point this season.

According to Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group, Trout said that he has been hitting soft toss in the batting cage and will hit on the field Saturday before adding that he will be back in the lineup "sooner rather than later."

Trout is on the injured list and has not played since July 12 because of a left rib cage inflammation, causing him to miss the All-Star Game and leaving the Angels without their top hitter.

The 31-year-old Trout has long been one of the best players in baseball when healthy and is a likely future Hall of Famer, but injuries have ravaged him in recent years.

Since rarely missing a game from 2013 through 2016, Trout has spent a ton of time on the shelf. He hasn't played in more than 140 games in a season since then, and he is coming off a 2021 campaign that saw him appear in only 36 games.

Trout has played in 79 games this season, slashing .270/.368/.599 with 24 home runs, 51 RBI and 55 runs scored. He was in the AL MVP conversation before getting injured, but that is no longer the case.

Also, the Angels got off to a hot start this season before falling into a tailspin, and things haven't gotten any easier without Trout.

L.A. entered play Friday with a 49-63 record, putting it fourth in the AL West and on pace to miss the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.

Trout is a 10-time All-Star, including this season, plus a three-time AL MVP, eight-time Silver Slugger award winner and the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year.

He has also finished second in the AL MVP voting four times, and finished second or better in seven of eight seasons from 2012 through 2019.

Along with two-way star Shohei Ohtani, Trout is the biggest reason to watch the Angels, and there isn't much incentive for fans to tune in when he is out.

Even if Trout does return soon, it is likely far too late to resuscitate the Angels' playoff chances, which could lead to some tough decisions being made during the offseason regarding key players.

Trading Trout in the midst of a 12-year, $426.5 million contract that runs through 2030 may not be viable, but trading Ohtani is an option.

The Angels may need to turn things around a bit late in the season and play better baseball in order to justify keeping the team together, and the return of Trout would help immensely in that regard.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is in the midst of yet another MVP-caliber season, and he reportedly is hoping to be paid as such on his next contract.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Ohtani "will surely seek to become the first $50 million (or more) player as a 2024 free agent, and considering his amazing achievements, he deserves to be the game’s best-paid player, as the sport’s true triple threat (hitting, pitching, marketing)."

Heyman noted that Ohtani's financial aspirations give the Angels a "poor" chance at retaining him on a long-term deal. There had been reports that teams around the league were inquiring about Ohtani's availability prior to the trade deadline, but negotiations didn't get far after Angels owner Arte Moreno "emphatically halted them with a day-plus to go."

By holding onto Ohtani after the trade deadline, Los Angeles likely missed its best chance to land a substantial haul of prospects to restock their farm system. Heyman added that Ohtani's nonchalant approach to the trade rumors also influenced the team to keep him.

"Folks around the Angels believe there was one real hope to do the right thing—which is trade Ohtani now—and that was only if he definitively said he wanted out," Heyman wrote. "But that hope dissipated when he was noncommittal in public comments the day after The Post reported the Angels were going to investigate trading him."

Entering Thursday, Ohtani is batting .256 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI. He also has a 10-7 record on the mound with a 2.68 ERA and 157 strikeouts.

Ohtani is making $5.5 million this season and is eligible for arbitration in 2023 before free agency the following year. The Angels have failed to find success during his tenure on the team, and it's likely that he doesn't want to spend his prime playing for a non-contender. Heyman noted that there's a chance Los Angeles explores trading Ohtani after the 2022 season comes to an end.

The Los Angeles Angels "never seriously considered" trade offers for superstar Shohei Ohtani, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post:

"The Shohei Ohtani trade never had a chance. Word is Angels owner Arte Moreno didn’t even want to hear offers, so talks barely got off the ground.

"The Padres (of course) are among a dozen or so teams that checked in, offering different scenarios they’d consider. The Yankees did, too. But the Angels never seriously considered any of it.

"Moreno told folks in his front office he simply could not trade Ohtani while Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were out with injuries. The Angels probably need a reset, however, and the belief is Trout, with a full no-trade clause, would be hard to deal. And Rendon, with injury after injury, would be near impossible to trade."

Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP, is hitting .258 (.859 OPS) with 24 home runs and 64 RBI.

On the mound, the 28-year-old has posted a 9-7 record with a 2.83 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 105 innings.

Ohtani's name was thrown into some trade rumors and speculation in the days leading up to the trade deadline, but it never seemed that the Angels were seriously considering moving him despite other teams' interest, per reports.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network and NBC Sports tweeted on July 23 that the Angels had "no plans" to deal Ohtani. Heyman reported on July 28 that the Angels were listening to offers but a deal was "seen as very unlikely."

He followed up with an Aug. 1 report stating the Angels were standing pat despite numerous teams (including the New York Yankees) making "serious offers" for the generational talent.

Ohtani remains an Angel for now, but his long-term future with the franchise appears to be in some doubt.

For starters, he's eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. The Angels could certainly look to trade Ohtani this offseason if it appears a long-term future between the two sides isn't going to work out. He should obviously demand a massive haul from a contending team.

Second, the Angels are a struggling, top-heavy team that sits 17 games under .500 despite having the 10th-highest payroll in baseball and Ohtani and Mike Trout, who is currently out with a back injury.

Ohtani could deservedly demand a fortune in free agency, and re-signing him may not be the best move for a team that might be best served tearing it all down.

For now, Ohtani is lighting it up at the plate and on the mound for a team that's playing out the string. The question after this season will be whether he ends up taking his talents elsewhere.

At least one executive with a Major League Baseball team believes Shohei Ohtani's days with the Los Angeles Angels are numbered.

Speaking to Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, an executive with another team said the Angels should have traded the reigning American League MVP prior to the Aug. 2 deadline because "he’s out the door" when he can become a free agent after next season anyway.

Heyman noted that "a dozen or so teams" called the Angels to inquire about Ohtani, but team owner Arte Moreno "didn’t even want to hear offers" for the 28-year-old superstar.

"Moreno told folks in his front office he simply could not trade Ohtani while Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were out with injuries," Heyman wrote.

Ohtani's status with the Angels will likely be one of the biggest stories in MLB this offseason. He has one more year of team control before being eligible for free agency after the 2023 season.

Per a June report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Los Angeles team officials "expressed an understanding" to Ohtani's representatives that it would take an average annual salary surpassing Max Scherzer's record of $43.3 million on an extension to re-sign Ohtani when the two sides had talks during spring training.

There's no indication at this point that the Angels will retain Ohtani, nor has he indicated one way or another a desire to remain with the club.

"I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done," Ohtani told reporters on July 28 amid the trade speculation. "I love my team and my teammates. Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can focus on."

The Angels are in a bad position right now, but there is a possibility they improve their roster this offseason. Their 2023 payroll is currently projected to be $103.2 million before factoring in arbitration-eligible players.

If Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon are able to stay healthy next season, putting them with Ohtani is the foundation of an outstanding nucleus. It's certainly a big question if, at this stage of their respective careers, Trout and Rendon can play 140-150 games in a season.

Trout is on the injured list with a back issue that he will have to manage for the rest of his career. Rendon has only played in 103 games since the start of 2021 due to injuries. He had season-ending wrist surgery in June.

Trading Ohtani this offseason would presumably bring the Angels a significant return to start rebuilding their farm system. Heyman noted dealing the two-time All-Star could net the team a haul similar to what the Washington Nationals just got for Juan Soto.

Of course, it's also hard to swallow losing a player of Ohtani's unique capabilities. He's got an .859 OPS and 24 homers as a hitter with a 2.83 ERA and 152 strikeouts as a pitcher this season.

Despite the best efforts of Ohtani, the Angels' 44-61 record is the fourth-worst in the American League. They are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season.

Shohei Ohtani's long-term future with the Los Angeles Angels is uncertain, but people around Major League Baseball are skeptical he will be traded before hitting free agency after next season.

Per The Athletic's Jayson Stark, one anonymous executive predicted Ohtani won't be dealt by the Angels because owner Arte Moreno is "afraid to ever trade him."

There were rumblings leading up to the Aug. 2 trade deadline that Ohtani could be on the block.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox were among the teams that called the Angels to make an offer for the reigning American League MVP.

The Angels rejected those overtures in order to keep Ohtani for the rest of 2022.

"Regardless of where I'm playing, I'm going to give it my all and try to win that ballgame in front of me," Ohtani told reporters about the trade rumors on July 29. "I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done. I love my team and my teammates. Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can focus on."

There will be mounting pressure on the Angels to make a decision on Ohtani, one way or another, during the offseason and leading up to the trade deadline in 2023.

Ohtani has one more year of team control remaining. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in June that Angels officials met with Ohtani's representatives in spring training about an extension and "expressed an understanding" any deal would need to surpass Max Scherzer's $43.3 million per season as the highest average annual salary in MLB.

Even if the Angels retain Ohtani going into next season, their roster will likely need a significant overhaul in order to compete for a playoff spot.

Mike Trout is still great when healthy, but the three-time AL MVP only played in 36 games last season due to a strained calf. He is currently on the injured list with a back injury that he will likely have to manage for the rest of his career.

As great as Trout and Ohtani have been throughout their careers, the Angels are on the verge of posting their seventh consecutive losing season. They haven't had a winning record since 2015 (85-77) and last made the postseason in 2014.

Trading Ohtani could potentially bring back a massive prospect haul that would allow the Angels to kickstart a roster rebuild. But it would also require them to trade arguably the best player in MLB.

Ohtani has posted a .258/.352/.508 slash line with 24 homers, 64 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 380 at-bats as a hitter. The 28-year-old also has a 2.83 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 105 innings over 18 starts as a pitcher.

The Major League Baseball trade deadline passed on Tuesday, and it did not disappoint. The moves came fast and furiously, with Washington Nationals star Juan Soto headlining the list.

The reigning Home Run Derby champion was dealt to the San Diego Padres, along with standout first baseman Josh Bell. The magnitude of the trade is hard to overstate.

The San Diego Padres landed Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals.

This is one of the biggest trades in MLB history. The Padres are exactly what I thought the Chicago White Sox would become. They have my respect.

— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) August 2, 2022

As big as the Soto trade was, it might have been overshadowed by a Shohei Ohtani deal. The dual-threat pitcher/slugger is one of the brightest stars in baseball, and the Los Angeles Angels were willing to listen to offers—and they got them.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Padres, New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox were among the teams who tried making a move:

"The Yankees are among a few teams that made serious offers for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, but there is now no chance the Angels will part with the amazing two-way player.

"The Padres and White Sox are among other teams known to have tried for Ohtani in recent days, with the Angels originally signaling they are willing to listen to offers on the once-in-a-century phenom. Several teams inquired, but the interested sides have moved on with the understanding the Angels are deciding to keep their all-time versatile megastar."

The 28-year-old will stay in Anaheim at least through the end of the season. To his credit, Ohtani has said all the right things through the deadline trade rumors.

"I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done," Ohtani said last week, per ESPN.

However, Ohtani's future with the Angels is far from certain. He's set for arbitration next offseason and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. If Los Angeles is going to keep him long-term, there are several obstacles that must be overcome.

Because of these obstacles, the Angeles must revisit Ohtani's trade market in the winter.

The most obvious obstacle for L.A. is Ohtani's next contract. The 2021 AL MVP will almost certainly command a record deal, and according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Angeles are reluctant to give him one.

"The Angels, according to sources, had informal discussions regarding an extension for Ohtani late in spring training with his agent, Nez Balelo of CAA," Rosenthal wrote in June. "But the Angels, at least at that time, were reluctant to make the kind of long-term offer Ohtani almost certainly would command on the open market, sources said."

Will the Angeles be any more willing to spend big on Ohtani in the offseason? Probably not. They're already locked into a 12-year, $426.5 million deal with Mike Trout. Paying Ohtani on top of that would be difficult, especially for a franchise that isn't close to contending.

Los Angeles is second-to-last in the AL West with a 44-59 record. They haven't been to the postseason since 2014. It will be hard to justify committing nearly $1 billion to two players when it isn't resulting in postseason success.

That lack of success could also make it difficult to even convince Ohtani to stay. He's going to get paid wherever he goes, and he has noted the importance of winning in the past.

"I really like the team. I love the fans. I love the atmosphere of the team," Ohtani said in September, per Sam Blum of The Athletic. "But more than that, I want to win. That's the biggest thing for me. So, I'll leave it at that."

Ohtani hasn't experienced a lot of winning in L.A., and it will likely take an active offseason for the Angels to give him that in 2023. That means more spending on top of the cost of keeping the two-time All-Star.

Perhaps general manager Perry Minasian can make it work with Ohtani, Trout and an evolving roster. That's his plan, publicly, anyway.

"I definitely see a roadmap to putting a competitive team on the field with those guys," Minasian said last month, per Sarah Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Times. "They're great players, they've really performed well. I think they deserve all the accolades they get daily."

The reality, though, is that even with Ohtani and Trout on the roster, winning won't come easily. Trading Ohtani could still deliver the players and prospects needed to jump-start a rebuild and, eventually, the sustained success that L.A. has lacked.

Consider Washington's return for Soto and Bell. San Diego surrendered prospects in left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, outfielder Robert Hassell III, shortstop C.J. Abrams, outfielder James Wood and right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana, plus veteran first baseman Luke Volt.

Ohtani might not command quite that much, as he has an additional arbitration year ahead of him. However, the Angeles have to at least see if they can get a similar package in the offseason. It's a far better alternative than potentially losing Ohtani in 2024 because he decides that he's never going to win in L.A.

It won't hurt to gauge the market, at least. Having one more year of team control will give the Angels options. If they don't get an offer they love, they can spend the ensuing season weighing a long-term deal and/or gearing up for the 2023 trade deadline.

Even if the Angeles don't ultimately move Ohtani in the winter, they have to put him back on the trade block. If the right offer comes along, they should flip the switch and move on with the rebuilding process.

The Philadelphia Phillies made a significant addition to their rotation ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline by acquiring starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Mickey Moniak and prospect Jadiel Sanchez.

With the Angels falling out of contention in the AL West with a 43-59 record, it's no surprise they decided to sell Syndergaard, who will become a free agent this winter.

With Syndergaard on board, let's take a look at Philadelphia's updated rotation and payroll:

• Zack Wheeler
• Aaron Nola
• Noah Syndergaard
• Kyle Gibson
• Ranger Suarez 
• Zach Eflin (15-day injured list)

Payroll: $242.7 million, per Spotrac

Wheeler and Nola have provided a solid one-two punch atop the Phillies rotation, combining for a 16-13 record, 3.03 ERA and 7.4 WAR, but the club needed some depth behind the duo.

Eflin is battling a knee injury and was recently transferred to the 15-day injured list, and it's unclear when or if he'll return to the rotation.

Syndergaard signed a one-year contract with the Angels ahead of the 2022 campaign after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the New York Mets. He made 15 starts for the Halos this season, posting a 5-8 record with a 3.83 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 80 innings.

While he's not the same flame-throwing pitcher he once was with the Mets in 2016, the 29-year-old will be a solid mid-rotation arm for the Phillies, and he's certainly an upgrade over Gibson and Eflin.

However, injuries have been a concern with Syndergaard over his career. He missed almost all of the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2020, so managing him should be a priority for the Phillies.

In addition to Syndergaard, the Phillies also acquired outfielder Brandon Marsh and reliever David Robertson ahead of the deadline.

The Phillies enter Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves with a 55-47 record, 10 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the NL East. The club has a 60.4 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs.

The Los Angeles Angels won't trade two-way star Shohei Ohtani ahead of Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Heyman reported the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox made inquiries about Ohtani before the Angels took him off the trade market.

The 28-year-old is the reigning American League MVP and continuing to perform at an elite level in 2022. He's batting .255 with an .847 OPS and a 138 OPS+ at the plate, per Baseball Reference. On the mound, he's 9-6 with a 2.81 ERA and 2.37 FIP with 145 strikeouts across 99.1 innings.

Despite his somewhat limited usage, the right-hander is tied for seventh among pitchers in WAR (3.3), per FanGraphs.

While Ohtani is a truly generational talent, his long-term future with the Angels has come under doubt in recent weeks.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in June that Ohtani's representatives had "informal discussions" with the Angels over an extension during spring training. He's arbitration-eligible for the 2023 season and can become a free agent after the 2023 campaign.

Rosenthal added that little progress was made prior to the 2022 regular season:

Club officials expressed an understanding that to sign Ohtani, they would need to award him a record average salary, surpassing Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million. But the Angels, at least at that time, were reluctant to make the kind of long-term offer Ohtani almost certainly would command on the open market, sources said. Ohtani, coming off an MVP season, was at the peak of his value, much like Judge is right now with the Yankees. The talks never gained traction.

Angels owner Arte Moreno certainly hasn't been afraid to spend for proven talent. He signed Mike Trout to the biggest contract in MLB history, a 12-year, $426.5 million pact.

But Rosenthal noted Los Angeles has seen a number of noteworthy contracts backfire in a big way. Albert Pujols (10 years, $254 million) and Josh Hamilton (five years, $125 million) are the two biggest examples, and L.A. might already have buyer's remorse on the seven-year, $245 million deal it signed with Anthony Rendon in December 2019.

Since the start of 2004, the Angels have had a top-10 Opening Day payroll every single year. This season, the team is on pace to miss the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years.

As much as the Angels should want to keep Ohtani around in theory, a level of hesitation from ownership or the front office is understandable. He's already in his late 20s and has one Tommy John surgery under his belt following his move to MLB.

For now, at least, any questions about Ohtani's status in Los Angeles can be put to bed.

The San Diego Padres' aggressive strategy ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline reportedly included making offers for Shohei Ohtani.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Padres "made a run" at the Los Angeles Angels star but no deal is expected. The Angels are fully expected to retain Ohtani past the deadline despite the two-way superstar's looming free agency after the 2023 season.

It's likely as much a business decision as a baseball one for why the Angels have refused to entertain offers for Ohtani. He's not only arguably the best player in baseball, but he's also wildly popular on the international stage, particularly in his native Japan. While the brilliance of Ohtani and Mike Trout has not led to wins for the Angels, there's money to be made in having the two biggest names in the sport spearheading your organization.

That said, there is reason for concern in the organization. Ohtani was noncommittal when asked about his future with the franchise when discussing the situation last week.

"Regardless of where I'm playing, I want to give it my all, try to win the ballgame that's right in front of me," Ohtani told reporters last week. "I'm with the Angels right now. And I'm very thankful for what they've done. I really love the team. I love my teammates. Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can really focus on at this point."

Ohtani originally chose the Angels over a swath of other teams when he made his decision to come stateside ahead of the 2018 season. He's found incredible individual success, winning the 2021 AL MVP and making the AL All-Star team as a hitter and pitcher each of the last two seasons, but team success has not followed.

The Angels are a near-lock to miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season, entering Monday at 43-59. Trading Ohtani would bring back the type of transformational haul that might turn around the team's lagging farm system, but there is no one-for-one replacement for Ohtani's generational talent.