How long is Mike Trout out? Injury update, expected return date and more

In many ways, the career of Mike Trout has been a story of tragedy punctuated by brilliance. Now, for the fourth time in three years, the Los Angeles Angels superstar is being faced with a season-altering ailment.

Last Tuesday, Angels GM Perry Minasian announced that the three-time MVP had torn his meniscus, and would require corrective surgery on his right knee. Although no timeline has been given in Trout's case, a torn meniscus typically requires two to three months to heal properly.

"Mike Trout was emotional, as you might expect, but somehow composed. …" - Alden Gonzalez

Nobody, including Trout himself, could pinpoint how and when the injury was incurred. The 32 year-old's last appearance came last Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he went 0-for-3 with a walk.

The injury has wide-ranging effects for the Angels, and for Trout's legacy. Since 2021, Mike Trout has missed nearly half of all his team's games on account of injuries.

Last summer, a fractured hamate sidelined him for 89 days, while a significant calf strain put Mike Trout on the IL for some 139 days in 2021.

"Mike Trout needs knee surgery and it is "not expected to be season-ending"" - Talkin' Baseball

Despite winning the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and three subsequent MVP Awards, Trout has been unable to lead his team to postseason success.

Since he made his MLB debut in 2012, the Angels have only made the postseason once, a 2014 ALDS appearance that ended in a sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.

At the time of the injury, Trout was hitting .220/.325/.541 with a league-best 10 home runs and 14 RBIs. Based on his trajectory, the New Jersey-native was on track to launch a career number of long shots before the ailment took hold.

---

Angels must find a way to win without Mike Trout

The 2024 season is shaping up to be the first time that the Angels compete without Shohei Ohtani or Trout for most of the year since 2010. Although the loss of starpower is palpable, Angels manager Ron Washington is trying to stay positive, telling ESPN:

"He was in a good place, a really good place before he got hurt. He went through a little bit of struggle, but I would rather have it now because once he finds it, he can go for three months."

Regardless of when Trout comes back to the lineup, the Los Angeles Angels will have undoubtedly learned a lot about their capabilities as a team by then.