The Los Angeles Angels were dealt a devastating blow Monday night. Mike Trout exited his team's loss to the San Diego Padres (SD 10, LAA 3) with a left wrist injury after taking a swing in the seventh inning. On Tuesday, the team announced the three-time MVP has a broken hamate bone in his left wrist. Hamate fractures typically require surgery and come with a 3-7 week recovery.
"Just took a swing and something felt uncomfortable," Trout told MLB.com following Monday's game. "... I can't really describe the pain I felt. I've never felt that pain ever. I've never had wrist problems or anything. Just a freak thing."
Trout, 31, is not having a typical Trout-like season, which means he's been merely great rather than the best player in baseball. He's hitting .263/.369/.493 with 18 home runs and 2.9 WAR. Again, that's not peak Trout, but that's basically irreplaceable. Losing Trout for this much time is a massive, massive blow to the club's postseason hopes. Look at all these injuries on top of Trout:
- IF Brandon Drury: Shoulder contusion
- RHP Ben Joyce: Ulnar neuritis
- LHP Matt Moore: Oblique strain
- SS Zach Neto: Oblique strain
- C Logan O'Hoppe: Shoulder surgery
- LHP José Quijada: Tommy John surgery (done for the season)
- LHP José Suarez: Shoulder strain
- IF Gio Urshela: Fractured pelvis (likely done for the season)
The Angels lost for the fifth time in their last six games and the tenth time in their last 15 games Monday. They are three games out of a wild-card spot and are trying desperately to return to the postseason, partly because they have the sport's longest postseason drought and largely because they want to show Shohei Ohtani they can contend, and hopefully re-sign him after the season.
Despite all the injuries and the recent losing, I would not expect the Angels to pivot to sellers and trade Ohtani at the deadline. They are still within striking distance of a wild-card spot and the club has aggressively called up top prospects (Joyce, Neto, righty Sam Bachman) and traded for veterans (Eduardo Escobar, Mike Moustakas) in recent weeks. The Angels will keep pushing.
How can the Angels replace Trout? Well, there is no replacing Trout. All the Angels can do is hope to replace some of Trout's lost production while others (cough Anthony Rendon cough) step up and provide more than they have to do date. Here's a look at the Halos' options with Trout headed to the injury list for the foreseeable future.
Stay in-house
This is what the Angels will have to do in the short-term. Trades don't always come together quickly and that is especially true this time of year, with front offices focused on this weekend's amateur draft. Veterans Hunter Renfroe and Taylor Ward will remain the primary corner outfielders, possibly with utility man Luis Rengifo seeing time out there as well. Here's who else the Angels can plug into the outfield with Trout hurt, listed alphabetically.
Adell is mashing in Triple-A, as he always does: .271/.376/.580 with 23 home runs in 72 games. He went deep in his one-game big league cameo earlier this season and was called up Tuesday to fill Trout's roster spot. How exactly will the Angels use him? And will Adell produce? He's a career .215/.261/.362 hitter at the MLB level with scary plate discipline numbers and poor defense. If Adell doesn't hit and hit a lot, he doesn't do much to help his team.
Former No. 1 overall pick has displayed impressive power this season (nine homers in 119 plate appearances), though the Angels rarely play him against lefties and the plate discipline numbers (37 strikeouts and three walks) suggest he could get exposed with more playing time. That said, the 25-year-old Moniak is a legitimate center fielder and should see more playing time with Trout hurt, particularly against righties. No one wants to see Trout get hurt and miss time, but this could be a golden opportunity for Mr. Moniak.
Phillips began the season as the Angels' fourth outfielder before being passed through waivers and sent to Triple-A. He's never been much of a hitter but he's a standout defender. If nothing else, Phillips will play great defense in center and contribute that way. Adell is a poor defender and it's unclear whether he'll hit. Moniak is a candidate to get exposed with increased playing time. Phillips and his reliable glove is the safest best and most sure-thing among the club's in-house options.
Trade candidates
The trade market is beginning to pick up. The Angels brought in Escobar and Moustakas in sensible low-cost moves last month and, more recently, the AL West rival Rangers picked up Aroldis Chapman. The trade market should really heat up after the All-Star break next week. Here are a few outfield trade candidates the Angels could target, listed alphabetically.
Are the Cubs even going to sell? They have lost seven of their last eight games and are seven games out of a postseason spot, but the NL Central is not exactly a powerhouse division. One good week and they could be right back in the thick of things. Bellinger, if the Cubs do make him available, will be among the biggest names available at the deadline. He's been fine overall and has picked it up a bit of late, though the under-the-hood numbers (exit velocity, etc.) aren't quite as rosy. Still, Bellinger would be a clear upgrade over what the Angels have in-house to replace Trout.
Cave has been the best hitter in Triple-A this season. Among the 200 players with at least 200 Triple-A plate appearances this year, Cave ranks first in batting average (.365), eighth in on-base percentage (.444), first in slugging percentage (.730), and first in OPS (1.174). The Phillies have a full outfield (Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Cristian Pache, Kyle Schwarber) and Bryce Harper is locked in at DH post-Tommy John surgery. Could the Phillies look to cash in Cave, a career .232/.297/.406 hitter at the big-league level, as a trade chip since he's blocked at the MLB level and his trade value will probably never be greater?
If nothing else, Duvall would serve as a nice lefty-mashing complement to Moniak. Jarren Duran's emergence (and Duvall's lack of production since returning from a wrist injury) has made the 34-year-old very expendable for the Red Sox. This would be another move along the lines of Escobar and Moustakas for the Angels. A veteran hitter at a low cost with no long-term strings attached. Boston is only a game behind the Angels in the wild-card race, though they might move Duvall even if they hang around the race.
The Angels and Rockies have already hooked up for one trade this season (Moustakas). Why not another? The Angels originally drafted Grichuk back in 2009 (they took him one pick before Trout) and he's a free agent-to-be on a bad Rockies team, making him an instant trade candidate. Grichuk has been much better at Coors Field (.324/.384/.480) than on the road (.256/.323/.384), though he's been around long enough that we know what he is: 20 homers with a low on-base percentage and passable defense. Renfroe will less power, basically. Do the Angels want another player like that? They might not have much of a choice.
Thomas is having a breakout season with the last place Nationals (a breakout season that isn't entirely supported by the under-the-hood numbers) and he'll remain under team control through 2025, so he would be a multi-year addition for the Angels. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo traded Juan Soto and Trea Turner a full year before they were scheduled to become free agents. I'm certain he's willing to move the 27-year-old Thomas. This could be a sell high situation for Washington and a "we're desperate and he's having a great year" move for the Angels.
Other possible trade targets: Estevan Florial, Yankees; Max Kepler, Twins; Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals (currently on the injured list); Jurickson Profar, Rockies; Victor Robles, Nationals
