Mike Trout is no longer playing the outfield, and that’s raised plenty of questions from fans wondering what’s going on with the Los Angeles Angels star, who was still holding down a defensive role as recently as May. For now, Trout will be limited to designated hitter duties.
And for those guessing it might be injury-related—they’re not wrong. While Trout isn’t fully sidelined, he is limited due to physical discomfort, and will remain a DH until the Angels give him the green light to return to the outfield.
This season has already been kinder to Trout than recent years. He’s appeared in 79 games—well beyond the 29 he played last year—and is closing in on the 82 games he managed in 2023. If he stays healthy, he could even top the 119 games he played in 2022, which would mark his highest total since 2019.
What’s keeping Trout out of the outfield?
According to Rhett Bollinger, Trout recently revealed he hasn’t done any outfield work since the Mets series from July 21–23 due to knee soreness that continues to bother him.
“Mike Trout said he hasn’t done any outfield drills since the Mets series because of knee soreness. Said he plans to ramp it back up when it feels better. He’s still hopeful to return to RF this season,” Bollinger reported on X.
Strong DH Production Despite Limited Role
It’s worth noting that Trout didn’t say he stopped playing the outfield in May—only that the knee soreness has prevented him from resuming defensive drills. Even so, he’s continued to contribute as a DH, logging 9 home runs, 46 hits, 42 walks, and a .266 average. He also recently notched his 1,000th career RBI.