Mike Trout Could Have Avoided Surgery, But Reveals Why He Elected to Have It

Why Trout opted for surgery.

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout devastatingly went down with another injury, sustaining a torn meniscus in late April. He underwent surgery on the meniscus last Friday.

This is now the fourth consecutive season in which Trout will have to miss significant time due to injury. He missed time after fracturing his left hamate bone in 2023, had a rare back issue in 2022, and tore his calf in 2021. He hasn't been able to catch a break, and will once again be watching from the sidelines.

Trout actually had the opportunity to postpone surgery until the end of the season and continue playing for the Angels as the team's designated hitter. He ultimately chose not to though, because it would have been incredibly painful and required a lot of management, per The Athletic's Sam Blum.

Mike Trout spoke today. He didn’t give a timeline for return.

He said he was given the option to DH the whole year, and postpone surgery. It would have been a very painful option, though. A ton of management. So he opted to get the surgery now.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 9, 2024

The 11-time All-Star and three-time former American League MVP does not have a set timeline for when he will return, but it's been reported that he will likely be out until August. This is, of course, a huge loss for the Angels, who are now without their best player for much of the season. The Angels currently hold a 14-24 record, fourth in the AL West.

It's also devastating for Trout, who was looking forward to coming into this season fully healthy after his recent injury history. There was lots of talk around the Angels about Trout's potential, returning to health and something closer to his peak form. That talk ended before April finished.

Trout began the year on an offensive tear, leading MLB in home runs and returning to stealing bases. He will now have to wait until the end of the season to help the team on the field, and trying to re-create his April production levels.