ARLINGTON, Texas — Now that Mike Trout is back in the Angels’ lineup, the next project is to figure out a way to keep him there.
Trout, who was activated on Wednesday after missing 17 games because of a hamstring injury, was in the lineup at designated hitter for their game against the Texas Rangers. During the Angels’ first 75 games, Trout started 63 games in center field and 11 times at DH. He had one day off.
What will be the plan going forward?
“The plan is to play center field,” Trout said on Wednesday. “I haven’t really talked to (Manager Kurt Suzuki) about it. We’ll just play it by ear and see how my body feels.”
It was an easy decision to have Trout as the DH on Wednesday because of the artificial turf at Globe Life Field. Trout, 34, said he’s planning to be back in center field on Thursday. He’s the only player in the majors who is at least 33 to have started more than 10 games in center field this season.
The three-time American League MVP said he doesn’t feel limited at all.
“I ran pretty good yesterday,” Trout said. “I felt anything in a week or so. I went back-to-back days over 90% on the bases and in the outfield. Did some outfield drills yesterday and came out of it good.”
Suzuki acknowledged he might “take it out of his hands,” at least “in the beginning.”
The Angels clearly adjusted their roster to give them more flexibility to have Trout DH. They designated infielder Donovan Walton for assignment to open a roster spot for Trout, keeping outfielders José Siri, Josh Lowe and Wade Meckler. Siri and Lowe have both played center.
Suzuki said that was “one of the reasons” that Walton was the victim of the roster move, even though he had performed well.
Walton hit .319 with three home runs and an .860 OPS in 97 plate appearances.
Meckler, who has a .753 OPS, could have been easily optioned and kept in the organization. Lowe also could have been optioned. He has a .617 OPS, but he’s produced an .876 OPS in 36 plate appearances since he returned from Triple-A. Siri, who could not be optioned, is the best defensive center fielder of the group. He has a .782 OPS.
Barring another injury in the next week, Trout is now set to start the All-Star Game next week in Philadelphia. It will be the first time Trout plays in the All-Star Game since 2019. He was selected in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but injured each time.
Trout said he will not compete in the Home Run Derby.
HOT STREAK AT TRIPLE-A
Triple-A right-hander George Klassen did not allow a hit in 6⅓ innings on Tuesday night. He walked two in the seventh and both runners scored. This start came on the heels of seven scoreless innings on July 1. Over his last eight starts, Klassen has a 2.27 ERA.
Klassen had a cameo in the majors this season, posting an 11.57 ERA. He was back in Triple-A for more than a month before starting his current run.
“This guy obviously came up, struggled a little bit, went back down and put his head down and got to work,” Suzuki said. “What a great guy, in the sense of works hard, puts his head down, never complains, never makes excuses. He knows what he has to do and he’s seeing the results.”
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is expected to rejoin the rotation on Friday, which would leave right-hander Ryan Johnson as the No. 5 starter. If Johnson falters, Klassen could be in line to get another shot.
NOTES
The reports on right-hander Ben Joyce’s rehab outing on Tuesday night at the Arizona Complex League indicated that he “felt great,” Suzuki said. Joyce (shoulder surgery) hit 102 mph with his fastball. He faced six batters, allowing two hits and walking two. Suzuki said Joyce’s next outing will also be in Arizona. …
Sports Information Solutions, the company that officially tracks defensive metrics like home run robberies, on Wednesday made a final decision that Jo Adell’s May 12 catch in Cleveland was not a home run robbery. Adell thought he had five this season: his three on April 4 at home, plus one in Cleveland and one on Saturday at Angel Stadium. The latter two were both overturned by SIS.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 3-6, 4.13 ERA) at Rangers (RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 9-7, 4.02 ERA), Thursday, 5:05 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM