WEST SACRAMENTO — Mike Trout’s best season in years is on hold.
The Angels placed their 34-year-old center fielder on the 10-day injured list before Thursday’s game against the Athletics after he suffered a right hamstring injury while running to first base during his final at-bat in Wednesday afternoon’s loss in Arizona.
“It felt like a cramp and just didn’t get any better. Achy last night, so woke up this morning and got it looked at,” Trout said before the game.
The three-time American League MVP also made sure to mention that how it felt Thursday morning compared to the previous night, after the plane ride from Phoenix, was a dramatic improvement. That’s leaving him hopeful that this will be a short stint on the IL. He doesn’t want to put a timeline on it, but he said he’s going to get back as fast as he can.
“Just running hard and trying to beat out a throw. For me, it doesn’t seem too serious, so we just want to be smart about it,” said Trout, who hasn’t played in more than 130 games in a season since 2019.
The 11-time All-Star is batting .234 with 17 home runs and 36 RBIs in 74 games this season.
Trout was second among AL outfielders in fan balloting for the All-Star Game through Sunday, with his 926,601 votes trailing the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge (977,460), who is also on the injured list.
Manager Kurt Suzuki added it’s difficult to tell a competitor to take it easy in certain scenarios, like when the team is trailing 8-1 late.
“That’s how Mike is wired. Would I want to have him throttle it down? Of course I would, in hindsight. But at the same time, that’s what makes Mike, Mike. He plays the game hard. He sets the example for everybody, and he’s a good role model for the youth out there.”
Jose Siri will likely play center field during Trout’s absence.
SAY ‘HALO’ TO HEINEMAN
New Angels catcher Tyler Heineman grew up rooting for the team, and in a social media post, he called Game 7 of the 2002 World Series one of his fondest memories as a kid.
“To Angels fans, I promise you I will do everything I can to let you experience that joy I had as an 11 year old,” he wrote.
With veteran Travis d’Arnaud nursing plantar fasciitis and Sebastián Rivero on the IL recovering from a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, the Angels’ catching options had been Logan O’Hoppe and Triple-A backstop Logan Porter.
After Wednesday’s loss in Phoenix, the Angels remedied that situation, acquiring Heineman, who had been designated for assignment by the Blue Jays, for cash considerations. Porter was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room on the 26-man roster.
The 34-year-old Heineman is batting just .154 with a .205 OBP this season, but he ranks in the 82nd percentile in blocking, in the 91st percentile in caught-stealing above average, and the 95th percentile in framing. He lags behind O’Hoppe in ABS challenge success, however, clocking in at a 54% rate to O’Hoppe’s 60%.
“Talked to a couple of guys that played with him in Toronto,” Suzuki said. “Everybody loved throwing to him.”
After facing the Angels his whole career, Heineman was asked which pitchers he’s now excited to catch.
“I haven’t really had too much success off [Reid] Detmers or [José] Soriano, to be frank. Soriano’s got that nasty sinker, nasty splitter,” he said.
ROSTER MOVES
With Trout landing on the IL, the Angels have recalled Christian Moore, who started in left field on Thursday night, batting sixth. Suzuki said to expect Moore, traditionally an infielder, to move around defensively.
Moore has hit .333 with a .468 OBP and a 1.053 OPS in 51 games with Salt Lake this season.
He also just started playing left field, racking up nine games, this season. Suzuki said the reports on his defense in left have been good.
Ryan Johnson, who has made four appearances in relief this season, was called up to start Thursday’s game.
When the Angels optioned him in late May, he landed with Double-A Rocket City, where he was being stretched out as a starting pitcher.
“We just felt like Johnson was throwing the ball really well, and being up here earlier this year, we just wanted to give him a shot,” Suzuki noted.
He’s taking the roster spot of right-hander Brett Kerry, who made his MLB debut in Arizona on Wednesday.
Soriano is just getting an extra day of rest, per Suzuki, after the right-hander was hit with a comebacker during his last start.
The team also announced that it has released left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who was designated for assignment on Monday.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP José Soriano, 8-4, 2.79 ERA) at Athletics (LHP Jeffrey Springs, 3-7, 5.13 ERA), Friday, 6:40 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM, 710 AM