The claims that Angels' Mike Trout will regularly DH might have been unfounded

The Angels' trade for Jorge Soler raised some eyebrows amongst MLB pundits and insiders. Soler, who has been a full-time designated hitter throughout most of his career, being added to the Angels' roster does not mesh well with their reported plan to DH Mike Trout with more regularity.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal poured some cold water on the fact that Mike Trout will frequently DH, but confirmed that he could certainly see more time in a corner outfield position. The Angels might opt to DH Trout on a "limited basis." The club's thinking seems sound, given how Trout operates.

While making Trout a DH might sound like a step toward keeping him healthy, the Angels aren’t so sure. Trout’s three most recent injuries were left ribcage inflammation in 2022, a left hamate fracture in ’23 and a torn meniscus in his left knee in ’24. Each of those issues stemmed, at least in part, from the act of swinging, club officials believe.

Most DHs use their down time to take additional practice swings. Trout, a perfectionist, almost certainly would, too.

Trout, who's a bona fide first ballot Hall of Famer, has posted paltry results in the past as a designated hitter. In 81 previous games as a DH, Trout's slashed .214/.388/.358/.745. The Angels need Soler, but also Arizona Fall League superstar Niko Kavadas, to filter in as DH. Furthermore, Trout is on a mission to prove to the baseball world that he is not on the tail end of his career, and the optics of him DHing multiple days a week would not help his case.

What can Angels fans expect from Trout's defense coming off of a torn meniscus? Trout, on multiple occasions in his career, vowed that he would prioritize his outfield defense before arriving for Spring Training. His resulting OAAs in 2018, 2022 and 2023 were elite on the heels of those declarations.

Well, his OAA diminished greatly when he did play last season and his once great arm strength became below average. When Trout declares that he will greatly improve a facet of his game, he does it and flourishes. However, he is likely rehabbing his meniscus for a large portion of the offseason and can no longer prioritize his defense to the same degree he has in the past. Trout just wants to stay healthy now. The version of Trout Angels fans see defensively in 2025 might not bear resemblance to previous years of him tracking down damn near every fly ball hit in his vicinity. Perhaps he could be an above average defensive corner outfielder rather than center fielder.

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