The Los Angeles Angels will be moving on from two-time American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani, who signed a ten-year, $700 million deal to join their cross-town rivals, the Dodgers. Therefore, their success will largely depend on Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
However, they are sending mixed messages about the sport. Trout doesn’t want to be traded, saying it would be an easy way out. The three-time AL MVP added:
“When I signed that contract, I’m loyal. I want to win a championship here.”
Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract with the Angels in March 2019. He went on to win his third AL MVP and the Hank Aaron Award as the best hitter that year. But despite having him and Ohtani, the Angels haven’t made the playoffs since 2015.
Mike Trout told the media that he's content in Anaheim right now and that being traded would be the “easy way out.” pic.twitter.com/Syzxm8eS7D
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 19, 2024
He still earned an All-Star nod even if hand and wrist injuries limited him to 82 games last season. Trout is a career .301 hitter with 1,624 hits, 940 runs batted in, and 368 home runs.
Conversely, Rendon had a different sentiment from his teammates, especially when asked about his priorities. In an article by The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Rendon said baseball was not his top priority. The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner shared:
“It’s never been a top priority for me. This is a job. I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job. So, if those things come before it, I’m leaving.
Rendon joined the Angels after winning the World Series with the Washington Nationals. He batted .283 with 158 home runs and 657 runs batted in throughout his career.
-Lance Fernandez