Angels reporters keep asking the same Mike Trout question, but it won’t be answered in 2026

Death, taxes, and the Los Angeles Angels being asked if this is the year that Mike Trout will be traded. There was some talk at the start of the season that this could be the year that Trout is finally traded, but it's a conversation that always ignored the reality that is Arte Moreno.

Over the years, it's been painfully clear Moreno has very little interest in green-lighting a trade of Trout. That said, the arrival of John Mozeliak as the Angels interim general manager has given off the impression that Moreno may no longer be in the driver's seat.

If that's the case, could Mozeliak do the unthinkable and trade Trout at the deadline? Don't count on it. Since taking charge of LA's front office, Mozeliak has been asked several times if Trout is going to be traded and his response has never left room for interpretation.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal is among several reporters who have had a one-on-one with Mozeliak, and naturally, had to ask about Trout. Mozeliak confirmed that he has already met with Trout, reminding him of his status as the team's franchise player, and also revealed that there isn't an expectation of trade conversations taking place.

John Mozeliak won't be the mastermind behind the Angels' Mike Trout decision

Given the uncertainty surrounding contracts after this season, generally, it's hard to imagine Trout's contract being capable of being moved during the season. If a trade were to happen, it feels ripe for an offseason trade. Specifically when there's a new CBA in place, and a clear understanding of what the payroll situation will look like across baseball.

Regardless, asking Mozeliak if he's going to trade Trout feels like a useless exercise. That's not information that Mozeliak is going to willingly offer up. If there's a scenario where Trout is being shopped, it's going to be kept under wraps. Leverage is still a real thing in baseball, even if the Angels have rarely had it in recent years.

Beyond that, the trade of Trout feels like a move that's made once the Angels have an understanding of what their front office structure will look like moving forward. In other words, as long as Mozeliak is operating in an interim capacity, it doesn't feel like he will be the one to construct a Trout. That decision almost certainly will lie with the Angels general manager that gets named after this season.

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