MLB rumors: Mike Trout trade possibility shot down by Angels GM after Dodgers link

With the Angels still struggling, Mike Trout has once again found himself in trade rumors, but Perry Minasian quickly shut them down

The Los Angeles Angels endured another ugly 2023 campaign that saw them miss the playoffs yet again, despite the fact that they had two of the best baseball players in the world on their roster in Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. While Ohtani is a free agent and seems likely to leave the Angels, Trout is signed to a long-term deal with Los Angeles and can only be moved via a trade.

As is the case every year, fans are begging the Angels to free Trout and let him play for a contender, rather than try to unsuccessfully build a team around him. Trout has been the subject of trade rumors early on this offseason, with a potential move to the Los Angeles Dodgers being mentioned, but that was quickly shut down by Angels general manager Perry Minasian, who said that Trout will be staying put this offseason.

“Angels GM Perry Minasian reiterates that Mike Trout will be playing for the Angels in 2024 after several large market teams privately inquired about his availability.” – Bob Nightengale, USA Today

Should the Angels consider trading Mike Trout?

Every season feels like the same old song and dance for the Angels. Supposedly build a team around Trout (and more recently, Ohtani) only to struggle for much of the year and miss the playoffs entirely. Fans pine for the team to move Trout and undergo a full-scale rebuild, but the front office refuses, and opts to try to build another winner around Trout. This process gets repeated on what seems to be a yearly basis.

You’d think at some point the front office would figure out that what they are doing with Trout isn’t working and try to undergo a rebuild, but to this point, they haven’t, and it doesn’t seem like they have any intention of doing so either this offseason. So unfortunately for Trout, that likely means he will be stuck in Los Angeles for yet another losing season, much to the dismay of fans who want to see him end up on a winning team for once.