Angels activate Mike Trout and make puzzling lineup decision in his return

Mike Trout's 2025 season sure has been an interesting one. Ron Washington and Perry Minasian sure have gotten Mike Trout out of his comfort zone this season, playing him in right field instead of centerfield and taking him out of his normal two-hole in the lineup. Well, Washington sure had a surprise waiting for Trout with his batting order today.

Angels activate Mike Trout and make puzzling lineup decision in his return

Yes, Trout has returned to the Angels lineup after missing way more time that expected with a sore left knee. Matthew Lugo was optioned down to Triple-A as a result so he can play every day. It will be Trout's first game this month (he last played on April 30th), and he will be picking back up with a .179/.264/.462/.727 slash line, a 30% K%, .159 BABIP, nine home runs and 18 RBIs. He is also finding himself in the 5-hole of the lineup -- his first time batting outside the top three of an order since 2011. The last time Trout hit below the top three spots in the order, the Angels had Maicer Izturis, Alberto Callaspo and Vernon Wells on the team.

Trout is hitting right below Jorge Soler, who is slashing .202/.287/.310/.597 with a putrid .107 ISO this month. The rational here is...interesting. Trout has been a mainstay in the three-hole before hitting the injured list, as he hit third in the batting order in 27 of his 29 games played this season. In fact, putting outside the second spot of the lineup felt like a bit of a stretch by the Angels skipper before Opening Day. Trout has spent vast majority of his career batting second, and now he is batting fifth. Is Washington trying to say something here?

The Angels' superstar's K% is far from ideal, but his low BABIP and typically next-level elite exit velocity numbers indicate that his slash line should be much higher. Did Wash learn nothing from Taylor Ward's turn-around, the guy he put in the three-hole instead of the future first ballot Hall of Famer?

As Washington alluded to the other day, Trout will also be DHing in his return. He will remain DHing for the next week at least, since he is still getting his legs under him and needs to shake off some rust. Not only is he still getting acclimated to right field, but he left with a substandard OAA rating and leave average arm value. How Trout looks on the basepaths, should he make it there tonight, will be interesting to monitor as well.

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