Los Angeles Angels season is essentially over

There is no questioning what Mike Trout has meant to the Los Angeles Angels over his career. A three time AL MVP and eight time All Star, Trout is still the best player in the game today, a superstar who would be a Hall of Famer if he retired this second. He is one of the two most indispensable players on the Angels.

However, the Angels will need to navigate the next few weeks without their superstar. Trout is out for six to eight weeks due to a calf injury.

Losing Mike Trout ends Los Angeles Angels season

The Angels were already in trouble before this announcement. They had an 18-22 record heading into Tuesday’s slate of action, and were already six games out of first in the AL West. It appeared as though they were heading to another season without the playoffs, wasting another year of Trout’s prime.

Their hopes had rested on Trout even more than ever this year. The Angels are a very top heavy team, as Trout and Shohei Ohtani had accounted for 64% of their fWAR total in 2021. Adding Jared Walsh to that duo brings the overall total to 85%. Needless to say, the Angels are done without Trout in the lineup.

One can see why based on his performance. Trout was well on his way towards contending for another MVP award, as he had posted a .333/.466/.624 batting line with eight homers and eight doubles in 146 plate appearances. He was leading the AL in OPS, on base percentage, and slugging prior to being sidelined.

Perhaps the Angels will surprise. It is possible that losing Trout, and essentially being written off, will galvanize the roster, spurring an unexpected run. But talent eventually wins out, especially in Major League Baseball. That is an area where the Angels are decidedly short, particularly with Trout on the shelf.

The Los Angeles Angels will be without Mike Trout for the next six to eight weeks. Their hopes for the 2021 season are effectively over.