The 2026 season has concluded, and despite the Angels having the worst season in franchise history, Mike Trout turned in what could be considered his first “full” season in eight years. He showed both flashes of brilliance and signs of age as he completed his 15th year as a professional.
In his age-34 season, and after seven previous years of injury-shortened disappointments, there was skepticism that Trout could finish the year without another serious injury. But those fears were laid to rest as Trout played in 142 games, his most since 2016. He produced 4.1 total WAR (wins above replacement), his most since 2022, and was once again selected as a starter for the All-Star Game for the 11th time (his 12th appearance).
After experiments in right field the previous year, Trout returned to his natural position of center field for most of the games this season. He batted as a DH in only 33 of his games. The wear and tear of being in the field has consistently been a concern for those watching the injury-prone veteran. But despite missing one game after getting hit by a pitch and missing 17 games due to a hamstring strain, those concerns were allayed.
He started the year hot, with a series in New York that made it possible to consider that another MVP season might be in the works. The natural regression of the season and Trout’s age soon put those expectations to rest. But Trout remained a consistent threat at the plate, producing an .803 OPS and 134 OPS+ (34% better than a league-average batter). He was near the top of the team in runs, RBI, total bases, and home runs, and led the team in walks by a wide margin.
After Trout’s hot start, many pundits, seeing the dismal future of the franchise, called for trading Mike Trout to a contender. Trout’s contract has a no-trade clause, which prevents any kind of trade without his permission. Trout consistently insisted that his future was in Anaheim and that the prospects of future success there outweighed any desire to move to a different team.
At the end of June, the team took the unusual step of firing General Manager Perry Minasian and bringing in interim GM John Mozeliak. Despite consistent futility, Mozeliak did something the team had not done in years: in August, he traded away players in hopes of acquiring young talent. Trout maintained his position that he was not looking to be traded to another team.
The most noteworthy news about the Angels was the fan revolt against ownership. At the retirement ceremony of team President John Carpino, the fans booed the executive. This shocked owner Arte Moreno, who then stayed out of the public eye for the rest of the season. Fans consistently chanted “Sell. The. Team.” at most home games. Those pleas were finally answered with the surprise announcement in September that Moreno would be selling the team for $4 billion to Stan Kroenke. This elated fans, as it brought news of Moreno’s departure but also the hope of a successful future.
Kroenke is most notably the owner of the Los Angeles Rams and has won championships with all of his professional teams across all sports. This will be the first time he has owned a baseball team, and he will be the richest owner the sport has ever known. The sale will be official after league approval in January.
Trout said the sale was much needed and that the moves at the trade deadline were encouraging.
You can listen to an oral history of Arte Moreno’s tenure as owner here:
The year ended with Trout once again being voted team MVP by his teammates. The 2026 Angels earned the dubious distinction of being the first team in franchise history to lose 100 games.
It is unlikely that the team will make the playoffs in 2027, but finding success in 2028 is possible. Trout has four years left on his contract. The biggest question mark for 2027 is “Will there be a season?” The owners are threatening a lockout in hopes of establishing both a salary cap and a salary floor, which the players’ union has consistently opposed. It was suggested that Moreno wouldn’t sell the team until after the collective bargaining agreement was settled, but it appears that Kroenke wanted to be in on the negotiations.
Here is what Trout had to say about this year and the future:
The question that hangs over many veteran players is always “How much longer can they keep this up?” Trout will be 35 as he enters the next season. He continues to insist that he’s a better batter when he feels engaged by playing in the field, as opposed to serving as a DH. But his fielding stats were not what most teams need to see from a premium position like center field. He posted a -8 DRS (defensive runs saved), which means his presence in the outfield cost the team eight runs compared to a league-average fielder. He would have had nearly 5 WAR if he hadn’t played the outfield. Will he move to first base, where the Angels already have an established Nolan Schanuel, or will he DH exclusively? This is a question Mike Trout and the new management will have to answer in spring training.