Mike Trout Trade Demanded by MLB Fans After Angels Lose Shohei Ohtani to Dodgers

The Los Angeles Angels are reeling from the loss of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani after he agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, and fans are hoping to see another star player depart the franchise.

After the announcement of Ohtani's historic 10-year, $700 million deal, the spotlight fell on three-time American League MVP Mike Trout.

While the 32-year-old has not expressed a desire to be traded, fans are hoping to see him in a different uniform as soon as possible, and they voiced that desire on social media:

Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract with the Angels in 2019, so he's locked in for the foreseeable future. However, it's fair to wonder if his talents are being wasted in Los Angeles.

An 11-time All-Star, Trout has spent his entire 13-year career with the Angels, but his success has not translated into team success. Los Angeles has made the playoffs just once during his tenure, getting swept in the ALDS in 2014. The team has yet to make it back to the postseason since then, as its 73-89 finish to the 2023 campaign extended its playoff drought to nine years.

The Angels will be entering a new era in 2024 after Ron Washington was hired to replace Phil Nevin as manager. The 71-year-old brings a wealth of experience after experiencing success at his previous stops. He led the Texas Rangers to back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, and he helped the Atlanta Braves win a title in 2021 while he served as the team's third base coach.

Perhaps the hiring of Washington could help change the direction of the Angels franchise and influence Trout to stick around. However, if the team continues to struggle, the calls for Trout to be sent to a contender will only grow louder.