Trout returns to Angels' lineup in new spot after being activated off IL

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Trout originally expected to return to the Los Angeles Angels' lineup on Monday in Boston.

It turns out the timeline was moved up one series and three days.

Trout was activated off the injured list and went 1 for 5 as the designated hitter in Friday night's 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Angels slugger missed 26 games with soreness in his left knee eventually diagnosed as a bone bruise. The three-time American League MVP had two operations last year on the knee after tearing his meniscus.

“Felt good. Struck out on two at-bats, but other than that felt all right,” said Trout, who batted fifth for the first time in 1,532 starts.

Trout lined a base hit to left-center in the fourth inning. He thought he had a hit in his first at-bat in the second inning, but Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez made a nice grab on a low line drive.

“I thought he had some good at-bats considering that he hadn’t seen live pitching in a while,” manager Ron Washington said. “He hit the ball hard three times today. They made some some good pitches when he struck out. But welcome back, Mike.”

Trout's return also helped the Angels snap a five-game losing streak and improve to 28-30.

It was the first time since Sept. 26, 2011, Trout's rookie season, he started a game hitting lower than third.

Washington is happy to have Trout back, especially since he noted Trout wasn't aggressive in rushing in his return. Washington also knows that Trout isn't ready to return to his normal spot batting second or third.

“He hasn’t seen anything. So when you look at what we have, that’s where he sits,” Washington said before the game. “It doesn't make sense for him to protect (Logan) O'Hoppe. So I'll put Mike behind him to protect O'Hoppe. He's not ready to be at the top of the lineup, especially with those guys up there. As we go along the next couple of days, he's not going to remain fifth.”

The 33-year old Trout is hitting .180 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs and a .712 OPS in 30 games. He will be the designated hitter for the weekend series against the Guardians before possibly returning to right field when the Halos head to Boston on Monday for a three-game series.

Even though Trout has shied away from wanting to be the designated hitter, he has done well in that spot. In eight games this season, he is 9 for 33 (.273) with six home runs and nine RBIs.

Trout said whether or not he plays more games than originally planned at DH the remainder of the season is something that remains to be seen.

“Bone bruises are tricky. I know I am going to be sore but I can deal with it,” he said. “I definitely have to be cautious, especially the first couple games.”

Trout has missed 404 of the Angels’ 665 games — almost 60% — since May 17, 2021, when he tore his calf muscle against Cleveland and was sidelined for the rest of that season. This is the fifth straight year he has had a stint of at least 25 games on the IL.

He missed five weeks of the 2022 season with a back injury, and all but one game after July 3 in 2023 after he broke a bone in his hand on a foul ball. Trout played in 29 games last season before the meniscus injury.

“There’s so many games that any sense of newness or something to make you excited is something that you’d latch on to. So today is definitely a moment like that,” O’Hoppe said about Trout’s return. “He’s the heart of this organization. So we’re happy to have our heart beating again for sure.”

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