“Free this man from Anaheim”; “Doomed this guy” - MLB fans call out on Angles for Mike Trout’s unexpected season-ending injury

On Thursday, Mike Trout revealed that a new tear had been discovered in his left meniscus after an MRI test, despite undergoing surgery there in May. Trout, who has not played since April 29, will miss the remainder of the season.

For many fans, the news was taken as an unfortunate piece of news. Despite winning the AL MVP Award three times in his career, Trout has not helped the Angels into the postseason since 2014. Now, it looks like the 32-year-old will not even be in the lineup when they miss the postseason for the 11th straight year.

"Mike Trout is done for the year" - Talkin' Baseball

A member of the Los Angeles Angels since making his MLB debut in 2011, Trout's 12-year, $426.5 million 2019 contract ties him to the club until the early 2030s. However, Trout has now missed 56% of his team's games since 2021. Predictably, many fans believe that his membership on the underperforming club has been bad for his career.

Trout's only career postseason experience came in the form of a sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 ALDS. Otherwise, despite hitting a career .299 with 954 RBIs, Trout's success has done little to help his club's fortunes.

"Starting too feel like a yearly tweet. So unfortunate man" - griped a fan

"Mike, the Lord is saying to leave L.A" - suggested another fan

"What could have been?" - asked another disappointed onlooker

Last season, Trout appeared in just 82 games after suffering a wrist fracture. With long-term injuries becoming increasingly common for Trout, some fans are even suggesting he think about calling it a career. However, the New Jersey native is slated to be under team control until the early 2030s.

"Unfortunately I think it’s time to hang up the cleats" - was an opinion

"Sad that this seems to be happening every year now to him" - was another take

"This makes my heart hurt" - was yet another lamentation

Mike Trout knows that fan patience is drying up

When Shohei Ohtani entered free agency last year, the size of Trout's contract was a primary reason why the Angels ultimately let the superstar sign with the Dodgers. Now, with Mike Trout once again injured, the disappointment coming from the fanbase is palpable. As the outfielder himself wrote in a social media post:

"Playing and competing is a huge part of my life. This is equally as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans. I understand that I may have disappointed many, but believe me, I will do everything I can to come back even stronger."

Another fruitless season means that soon, perhaps Angels fans will start demanding different strategies from their club.