Big changes up top for the Los Angeles Angels could also mean some changes when it comes to the status of Mike Trout.
In a bombshell development on Tuesday, Angels owner Arte Moreno agreed in principle to sell his controlling stake in the team to Stan Kroenke for a record-setting sum. As a result, Moreno’s time as owner of the Angels is set to come to an end after over 23 years in charge of the team.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported in the wake of the news that a trade of the Angels superstar outfielder Trout is now “more likely” under a new owner than it would have been under Moreno. Olney adds that it could now be a more viable option for Trout to potentially force his way out of Anaheim as a result.
Now 35 years old, Trout is a three-time AL MVP, a 12-time MLB All-Star, and one of the greatest players of his entire generation. He has spent his whole 16-year MLB career with the Angels but only has a single playoff appearance to show for it, in large part due to the franchise’s incompetence under Moreno.
Trout has also been marred by injuries in recent years but has actually managed to bounce back this season with 20 home runs and 50 RBIs through 119 games and counting (good enough for Trout to make his first All-Star team since 2023). Still, he has been the subject of much trade speculation in recent years as the Angels continue to flounder, including this season when Trout even had to issue a public response.
Of course, the biggest obstacle to any potential trade of Trout is the fact that he is still owed $37.1 million a year through the 2030 MLB campaign (and holds a full no-trade clause too). Trout himself has also remained loyal to Anaheim all throughout his career, stating time and time again that he is still dedicated to his longtime ball club.
That said, Kroenke might consider the possibility of finally moving on from Trout in order to kick-start a full reboot for the Angels and build a sustainable winner as quickly as possible. While conventional wisdom would suggest that Trout, who stuck it out in Anaheim all throughout the Moreno years, would be even more excited about staying with the Angels amid the team’s fresh new era, he might ultimately oblige if the new ownership attempts to push him out the door as one of their first moves in charge.
