Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is making a major change for the 2025 season.
Trout revealed Monday that he will move to right field this year in an attempt to stay healthy. This will mark the first time in his MLB career that Trout has primarily manned a position other than center field.
Trout added he will still play some center field on a limited basis, and will also spend some time as a designated hitter.
The move comes as Trout has struggled to stay healthy for the past several years. A knee injury limited him to just 29 games last season, and he played in 82 contests in 2023.
Since the start of the 2021 season, Trout has played in just 266 of a possible 648 games for the Angels.
The situation has been so frustrating for Trout that he even floated a permanent move to DH late last season if it would help him stay on the field. The Angels are not taking a step that drastic yet, but one figures that the 33-year-old will continue to see less time in the field in the years to come.
Trout’s inability to stay on the field has impacted his numbers as well. The three-time AL MVP hit just .220 last year when he was healthy, though he still had 10 home runs in 29 games.
The Angels desperately need Trout to be healthy and effective for them to turn around the direction of the franchise. The team finished 63-99 last season and has not posted a winning record since 2015.
The organization has made a bid to show some improvement in 2025 by bringing in some established veterans. That will probably be for naught, however, if Trout cannot stay on the field.
