Baseball is at its peak when its best players are on the field each and every day.
That includes three-time MVP winner Mike Trout. Unfortunately for baseball fans, the last several seasons have seen him miss more games than he’s played.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels looks on in the dugout against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on May 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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Trout is expected to be activated Friday prior to the Angels’ three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. It will exactly one month since the day he was placed on the injured list.
To some, Trout’s return to the field signals his last chance to prove he is capable of staying healthy and playing more than 100 games in a season. It is also his last chance to cement himself as a no-doubt first ballot Hall of Fame player.
Now it may sound crazy to think Trout isn’t a surefire first ballot player, but because of all the missed time over the past five seasons, those chances may have taken a slight hit.
All the stats are there: career. 297 batting average, 387 home runs, .408 on-base percentage and .986 OPS. Those statistics make for an almost unanimous selection into the Hall of Fame and that could very well be the case when Trout’s time comes.
After this season, Trout still has five seasons remaining on the 12-year, $426.5 million contract he signed prior to the 2019 season. He is still owed over $185 million in those five seasons, so it is likely Trout will want to play out his contract to earn his money.
If he is able to come back fully healthy and perform, Trout could not only ensure his spot as a first ballot Hall of Fame player, but we could also see him reach 500 home runs before his career is over.
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