The Los Angeles Angels can’t seem to catch a break! They were already struggling, and now there’s another bad news, and it’s Mike Trout again. Did you guess it already? Yes, the once-superstar is headed back to the injured list, according to Angels manager Ron Washington.

The star outfielder jammed his surgically repaired left knee during a dash to first base when playing with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. They ended up with a 9-3 loss and lost Trout too in the process. Though he initially stayed in the game and even notched a single, lingering discomfort forced him to exit.

Washington then, after Thursday’s 10-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers, said, “He has a bone bruise, so we’re going to put him on the injured list.” Trout’s absence was already quite evident when the Angels simply fell flat once again. The timing also couldn’t be worse, because Trout was only just trying to bounce back from the terrible records he had set. For the team, this is devastating because he is one of the greatest players of his generation.

But the bitter truth is—his biggest opponent isn’t the fastball or the division rival—it’s his own body. Trout’s durability is a major concern, and it all started in 2021. That year, a right calf strain, which was supposed to keep him off for some months, turned into a season-ending injury. He missed 139 games that season. But this was just the beginning.

In 2022, his back issues flared up, and he managed to play just 119 games due to a rare spinal condition he had. By then, his injury-prone label had stuck. But red flags turned into alarms in 2023. After fracturing his hamate bone in his left hand and undergoing surgery, Trout tried to return but was shut down again, finishing with only 82 games played.

But 2024 was the toughest, where he tore the meniscus in his left knee, had surgery, re-tore it, and led to a second surgery, and the season ended for him in just 29 games. And this season, he is back on IL with the very same knee issue. He has appeared in roughly 41% of games from 2021 through 2024, which is alarming, especially when he is the franchise cornerstone. Now, it’s a tough pill to swallow for the Angels fans because he is a three-time MVP and a potential Hall of Fame candidate, but they want the problem solved now and forever.

Fans react to another Mike Trout setback

One user in X simply stated that Mike Trout is fragile. And it is understandable because this was supposed to be a bounce-back year. A fresh start for Trout, since he started in a much less challenging position, so just maybe he could play a full season. But almost like a drill, he has followed right back to IL. And fan frustration has just crossed all boundaries, watching him go from highlight reels to being stacked in the background.

One fan sarcastically took a jibe, wishing Trout would get traded to the Mets as a DH. And well, it’s unlikely now, but not impossible when he is healthy. During the off-season, the rumors of him getting traded were plenty. However, Ken Rosenthal pointed out Trout’s age, his injury history, and the massive contract and no-trade clause as major hurdles. Meanwhile, Matt Higgins from Sportsnaut also claimed that maybe the Phillies can make a move. The Yankees, the Mets, and the Phillies were said to be plausible teams he might be headed to. But that was not the case then. But now? Who knows?

Echoing the same sentiment of getting him retired was another user. But it isn’t surprising when one is 33, hitting. 179 and barely even staying on the field. Especially for a team like the Angels, who badly need that stability. Trout hasn’t played more than 119 games since 2019 and hasn’t even come close to it. In 2020, the COVID-shortened season, he played 53 out of 60—but that’s about it. However, trading him may have been years back, would be easy. But after multiple years of injuries, which team would want him is the bigger question.

A fan, possibly of Trout, reminded that he was a great ambassador of MLB—and focused on the ‘was’ there. So yes, there was a time when he was the face of the Angels; he was baseball. A .297 career hitter with 387 home runs, a rookie of the year, three MVPs, and two All-Star Games MVPs. He was the superstar who let his play do the talking. But dominance is nothing now when the body betrays you.

Trout’s fans knew he had been lost for quite some time. So, fans don’t care anymore and just want him to retire. However, Trout doesn’t want to be traded. He is playing in a different position, which shows he very much wants to be an Angel and has no intention of moving. Right now, though, without Trout, Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak may fill in, but no one is pretending that they can fill those cleats right. It’s going to be rather tough.

April’s already been long for Anaheim. Now, the manager did say it seems nothing serious, but for fans, hope is getting harder to hold onto.