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Mike Trout is getting a little more help next season after the Los Angeles Angels acquired slugger Jorge Soler on Thursday. The Halos acquired him through a trade, sending RHP Griffin Canning to the Atlanta Braves.
Soler is coming off a season split between the San Francisco Giants and the Braves. During that time, he hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 home runs with 64 runs batted in.
However, former big league pitcher Jonathan Papelbon is not moved by the move. He joined the crew at Foul Territory to share his thoughts on the Halos adding Soler.
"Is [Soler] taking at-bats away from someone else who was going to DH? Like, is Trout going to be their DH to be able to keep him on the field? I think you kind of pigeon-holed yourself," said Papelbon.
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As Soler is primarily used as a designated hitter, Papelbon is worried that his arrival could mean more outfield work for Trout, which might not be good. Trout has had trouble staying on the field over the last few years.
"You can't keep just running Mike Trout out there or else you are going to get 50 to 100 games from him and I think that's unfair to the team, it's unfair to Mike Trout. I don't get it" said Papelbon.
The Angels may have to get creative with Jorge Soler and Mike Trout
There is no denying that it was a disappointing season for Mike Trout and the Angels. The slugger played in just 29 games before tearing his meniscus again, ending his 2024 season.
He came into the season with a plan to limit his exposure in the outfield and stay on the field all season, but that did not happen. Now, all eyes will be on the 11-time All-Star.
It would be smart to limit his outfield exposure next season, but with the addition of Jorge Soler, that may be harder than anticipated. As Papelbon stated, he may take away some of those DH at-bats that Trout could have.
It would be in the club's best interest to do all they can to keep their star on the field and healthy. Soler and Trout will likely split time at DH and the outfield. This will be a situation that the fanbase will want to keep a close eye on when for next season.
