“It was really, really hard” - When Mike Trout wrestled emotional strain of separation from wife and newborn son during MLB season

Mike Trout has been the face of the Los Angeles Angels ever since he joined the team in 2011. Regarded as a natural leader, the outfielder rarely lets anything get in the way of his performances.

However, during the shortened season of 2020, when Trout and his wife, Jessica, welcomed their first child, the 11-time All-Star was faced with one of the biggest conundrums of his career. Mere hours after their son, Beckham Aaron, was born, Mike Trout had to go back to his team.

“It was really, really hard, leaving him and leaving Jess, knowing what she’s going to be going through these next couple months is tough," Trout told the New York Post.

Beckham was born a healthy baby at 5:10 pm on July 30, 2020, to the Los Angeles Angels star and his wife. Trout met Jessica while they were both attending New Jersey High School.

In all, Mike Trout missed five days on account of the birth. When he returned on August 5, the 2019 AL MVP homered against the Seattle Mariners in his first at-bat of the game, as his team emerged victorious by a 5-3 margin.

The year before his son was born, Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million deal with the Angels. Despite winning three MVP Awards and countless other honors, Trout has repeatedly been criticized for his team's failures.

Since Mike Trout joined the team, the Halos have only made it to one postseason series, a 2014 ALDS appearance that ended in a sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.

Mike Trout remains committed to the team that drafted him

After Shohei Ohtani left the Angels in free agency this offseason, Trout is, once again, the team's sole superstar. Although rumblings of a possible trade have been palpable all offseason, the 32-year-old is as committed as ever to sticking with the team that drafted him.

"I think the biggest thing right now is the easy way out would be asking for a trade," Trout told CBS News. "There might be a time, maybe. I haven't really thought about this. When I signed that contract, I'm loyal and want to win a championship here."

Indeed, the focus on Trout this year may be intense, but judging by the star's own words, that's a challenge he remains ready for.