Since the Los Angeles Angels are no longer in the running for the postseason, there is nothing left to play for in 2023. The Angels haven’t formally ruled out the possibility of superstar Mike Trout returning, but the last few weeks of the regular season might still be valuable as the team gets ready for the following campaign.

Early in July, Trout broke his left hamate bone, forcing him to miss the following six weeks of play. On August 22, he made an attempt to rejoin the team but only managed to play in one game before being put back on the disabled list. Since then, he has been injured and was given time to recover before returning to baseball.

The first sign that Trout might be trying to make a comeback, even if it’s just for a few games before the 2023 season is through comes this week. Six of the Angels’ final seven games will be played away from Angel Stadium, and Trout will travel with the group.

According to Janis Carr of The O.C. Register, he might make a significant step toward a comeback while on the trip:

After a three-game series against the Rays, Nevin stated that he anticipates Trout to begin swinging the bat “really soon,” potentially on this trip to Minnesota.

He has repeatedly expressed his desire to play this year, according to Nevin. He will be there once he decides the discomfort is bearable to participate in a game once more. However, compared to the previous time, I believe he will be more cautious this time and not come out as pushy.

The Angels’ final two road games of the year are against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis and the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida. Trout may come back into the lineup at some point during the team’s final six-game homestand if he starts swinging while on this trip.

Los Angeles will play three games at Angel Stadium against the Texas Rangers from September 25 to 27 before playing three games against the Oakland Athletics from September 29 to October 1.

Trout is unlikely to return to the field this season with a full recovery for the start of 2024 given the amount of time still left on the calendar. But it seems the Angels will keep that door open for as long as they can before closing it.

Anthony Rendon’s leg is fractured.
3rd baseman for the Angels Anthony Rendon confirmed what neither he nor the Angels had confirmed, despite widespread speculation. His leg fracture from the foul ball injury confirmed that he would miss another season due to injury, with the possibility of a comeback in 2024.