The Los Angeles Angels are getting encouraging health reports on superstar outfielder Mike Trout, but the team has fallen way back in the standings.

The Los Angeles Angels got more positive news late this week on the health and rehab of superstar outfielder Mike Trout.

The following update comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

Trout (wrist) began hitting against a pitching machine Friday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

ANALYSISTrout will only face machine-thrown breaking balls initially, but he should soon advance to hitting high-velocity fastballs as he continues to work back from the hamate bone fracture that has kept him sidelined since early July. If his surgically repaired wrist responds well to this uptick in activity, the Angels will begin plotting out a date for his return.

Trout has been out for more than a month and it would be great to see him play again this year for the Angels, but his return may come too late.

Los Angeles has slumped mightily in the standings since the trade deadline. They’ve lost eight of their last 10 games and are now 6.5 games back in the American League wild card race.

Trout is hitting .263 this season with 18 homers and 44 RBI.

One of the best players in the history of the sport, he’s a three-time MVP and a nine-time Silver Slugger winner.

He was also named to his 11th All-Star Game this year, but was unable to play.

The Angels will take on the Houston Astros on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET as lefty Tyler Anderson (LAA) pitches against J.P. France (HOU).

The Astros are 67-50 and own the second wild card spot right now.