The Los Angeles Angels are walking a tightrope, and Mike Trout‘s legs are the net.
With the three-time MVP still restricted to designated hitter duties weeks after returning from a knee injury, the Angels have turned to the trade market—not to chase a playoff berth, but to patch holes in the outfield while carefully tiptoeing around Trout’s health. The latest move: acquiring LaMonte Wade Jr. from the Giants, a depth piece with defensive flexibility and a bat that’s ice cold.
It’s the kind of move that makes sense only if you’ve accepted a new reality: Mike Trout isn’t going back to being Mike Trout, and the Angels are planning around that.
Trout Locked at DH, for Now
Since returning from a bone bruise in his left knee, Trout has looked solid at the plate. But he’s yet to log a single inning in the outfield. Manager Ron Washington has been adamant that Trout is nearing a return to defense—emphasis on “nearing.” The team says Trout is just days away from resuming his outfield duties, but the urgency is missing. That’s understandable, given Trout’s recent injury history, but it’s also revealing.
The Angels aren’t counting on Trout to be a outfield anchor. They’re protecting him like he’s made of glass—or, more accurately, like he’s the only thing keeping the franchise remotely relevant.
Even when Trout does return to the field, expect a generous mix of rest days and DH appearances. This isn’t a short-term stopgap. It’s the new Trout protocol.
The LaMonte Wade Jr. Band-Aid
In the meantime, the Angels turned to a familiar type of fallback: a lefty platoon bat with positional flexibility and minimal expectations. Wade has logged innings at both outfield corners and first base but is slashing just .167 this year. His .770 career OPS against righties makes him a potential matchup tool, but he’s far from a long-term solution—especially for a team whose outfield defense has been stitched together with duct tape.
Still, the acquisition signals something important. The Angels are not moving Trout off DH anytime soon. And they’re preparing for the likelihood that he might never be a full-time fielder again.
Chris Taylor: The Dodgers Were Right
While Wade might be a stopgap, Chris Taylor has quickly become a black hole. After being released by the Dodgers despite having $9 million left on his contract, Taylor has done little to prove L.A. was wrong. He’s made them look prophetic.
With a .190/.227/.286 slash line and a K-rate hovering near 36%, Taylor is striking out nearly twice as often as he’s getting hits. He’s been slightly above replacement value defensively. Still, he’s a non-factor at the plate. On a roster that already includes light-hitting utility types like Kevin Newman and Scott Kingery, the redundancy is glaring.
Taylor has split time in center with Jo Adell and filled in at second base. But if Adell keeps hitting and rookie Christian Moore shows he’s ready, Taylor could become unplayable. That leaves Ron Washington in a bind: keep running out a veteran who offers defensive consistency but no offensive upside, or shift the focus entirely to youth and potential.
Angels’ Direction: Built on Hope, Not Health
Between Wade’s arrival, Trout’s DH-only status, and Taylor’s inability to contribute meaningfully, the Angels are building their roster like a team trying to win with Plan D. Even their recent series wins—against a Red Sox team stuck in mediocrity and a Mariners squad with its offensive issues—don’t move the needle.
Unless Trout makes a real return to the outfield—and Taylor finds a time machine—the Angels are looking more like a team planning for 2026, not 2025.
Bubble wrap might keep Trout on the field. But it’s not a strategy for a playoff push. And with Taylor’s bat missing in action, every lineup decision in the future becomes another layer of duct tape in Anaheim.
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