Mike Trout to Be Activated by Angels After Missing 26 Games with Knee Injury

Having lost five consecutive games immediately after their nine-game winning streak came to an end, the Los Angeles Angels are going to get a big boost to their lineup with the return of Mike Trout.

The Angels announced that the 33-year-old, who has been on the injured list since May 1 with a knee injury, will be activated before Friday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.

Trout injured his knee against the Seattle Mariners on April 30 while running to first base when he landed awkwardly stretching to reach the bag in the third inning. He remained in the game in right field for the bottom half of the inning before Jo Adell came in to pinch hit in the top of the fourth.

The Angels placed Trout on the IL two days later with a bone bruise on his left knee.

It's the same knee that he had surgery on twice last year to repair meniscus injuries. He originally tore the meniscus on April 29 and was rehabbing to return when an MRI showed another tear that required surgery, officially ending his 2024 season in August.

Injuries have been a huge issue for Trout in recent years. He has missed at least 43 games in each of the previous four seasons, with 2022 being the only time he has played in at least 100 games (119).

The wear and tear on his body has had a profound impact on his performance. The three-time AL MVP was hitting just .179/.264/.462 in 121 plate appearances this season.

Trout's power remains present, as his nine homers were just one behind Aaron Judge before the knee injury. The issue is making consistent contact because his 29.8 percent strikeout rate is the highest of his career.

Even with a version of Trout that's no longer one of the best players in MLB, the Angels can certainly use his bat in the middle of their lineup. After climbing back to .500 with their longest winning streak since 2014, they have scored a total of five runs in losing their last five games.

Friday will mark the start of a six-game road trip for the Angels in which they will play the Guardians and Boston Red Sox.