How Mike Trout Was 'Left Behind' As Shohei Ohtani Wins Two Rings
Mike Trout has not played in a postseason game since 2014, marking the longest drought among players of his caliber. The three-time MVP is now in the final phase of his career with the Los Angeles Angels.
At 34 years old, the center fielder has an 87.5 WAR, the highest ever recorded by a modern player without a postseason win. Since their three-game ALDS loss to Kansas City in 2014, Trout and the Angels have not reached the playoffs.
The franchise's last postseason victory was in 2009, the same year Trout was drafted.
In March 2019, Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract extension, which was then the largest in North American sports history. Approximately $190 million remains on the contract, which runs through 2030.
"I've got (five) more years on the contract," Trout told The Athletic in September. "I feel like I've got a lot left in my tank. And I know when it's right, I can be the best."
Multiple sources informed The Athletic that Trout would never ask for a trade from the Angels, describing such a move as "the easy way out."
Former teammate Shohei Ohtani, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023, has won World Series titles in each season since leaving Anaheim.
Trout and Ohtani spent six seasons together but appeared in the lineup simultaneously in only 46.6% of Angels games, with their record standing at 194-211 during that period.
Author's summary: Despite Mike Trout's exceptional career, he remains without a postseason win, contrasting with Shohei Ohtani's recent championship successes following his departure from the Angels.