When Will Mike Trout Return to Angels Lineup?

May 26, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Mike Trout (27) works out on the field prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels recently won eight games in a row, but have followed it up by losing the next four.

Through this streaky month of May, the Halos have been without three-time MVP Mike Trout, who was moved to the injured list May 1 after sustaining a bone bruise in his knee on the last day of April.

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As he slowly trends toward a return to the field, manager Ron Washington provided the latest on the longest-tenured member of the Angels.

“He ran the bases today, light,” Washington said Tuesday. “The next time he runs the bases, we’re going to ramp it up a little bit, running and stopping and all of that.”

Trout was recently seen taking swings on the field and lightly running the bases ahead of Tuesday's eventual loss to the New York Yankees. Washington didn't give a concrete response as to when Trout would return, but the 11-time All-Star seems to be getting much closer to MLB action once again.

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“I can’t answer that right now,” Washington said when asked if Trout could play this weekend. “I’ve got to see how things fare the next time on the base paths, and how he recovers.”

According to the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher, Trout's one last 'hurdle' will be to have continued base running, but insinuated that his return will be imminent.

Mike Trout is scheduled to run the bases sometime during the Yankees series (more likely toward the end of it). He’ll have to do that more than once.

That’s the last hurdle for him. You can extrapolate from there when he might come back.

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) May 25, 2025

Trout spoke last week on his final stages and noted the importance of base running, as well as having to do it a few times to ensure his soreness levels are stabilized.

"They’ve got a routine for me every day, just building it up and hopefully to get running the bases here," Trout told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. "I think running the bases is a big hurdle. Just have to make sure I come in and don’t have any crazy soreness.”

Trout showed signs of the player fans know him to be, but wasn't off to the best start in 2025. He was hitting just .179 through 29 games before landing on the injured list.

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For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.