Report: Mike Trout to Be Offered Contract Extension by Angels in Offseason

The Los Angeles Angels could start preparing for their future by discussing a new contract with star outfielder Mike Trout.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the team plans to offer a Trout an extension to help determine his long-term plans. However, his current contract won't be up until after the 2020 season.

The 27-year-old is set to make more than $34 million in each of the next two seasons to close out the six-year deal signed in 2014 that runs through 2020.

Contract negotiations with Trout could help determine the future of the organization. If the Angels know he won't accept a deal of any kind, they could consider a trade to help start a rebuild.

Rosenthal broke down the possible strategy from opposing executives:

"One said the 'textbook' move, if Trout is unwilling to sign an extension, would be to trade him for perhaps the biggest package ever and move forward with a better future. Another seemed downright intrigued by the possibility, saying, “One of the best talents in the history of the game is rarely explored in the market. A team might be willing to do something absolutely insane to acquire him. We just don’t know."

Trout is arguably the best player in baseball. He's finished in the top four of MVP voting in each of the past six years, winning the award twice. He has been just as good in 2018, entering Sunday with 33 home runs, a .314 batting average and a league-leading 1.088 OPS.

Unfortunately, his play hasn't led to much team success for Los Angeles, which entered the day with a 70-72 record.

The team is set to miss the playoffs for the eighth time in the last nine years.

While a trade could potentially fill several holes, the Angels clearly would prefer to re-sign him to a new deal.