How Mike Trout Was 'Left Behind' as Shohei Ohtani Wins Two Rings
Mike Trout has not played in a postseason game since 2014, marking the longest active playoff drought for a player of his talent. As a three-time MVP, the 34-year-old center fielder enters the concluding phase of his career with the Los Angeles Angels.
Trout boasts an 87.5 WAR, the highest ever for a modern player who has never won a postseason game. Since their 2014 loss to Kansas City in a three-game ALDS sweep, neither Trout nor the Angels have returned to the playoffs. The Angels franchise itself has not won a postseason game since 2009, the same year Trout was drafted.
Contract and Commitment
In March 2019, Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract extension, the richest in North American sports history at that time. The agreement still has about $190 million remaining and extends through the 2030 season.
"I've got (five) more years on the contract," Trout told The Athletic in September. "I feel like I've got a lot left in my tank. And I know when it's right, I can be the best."
Multiple sources informed The Athletic that Trout would never request a trade from the Angels, as they consider that "the easy way out."
Shohei Ohtani’s Success
Former teammate Shohei Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023. Since departing Anaheim, Ohtani has won World Series titles in each season with the Dodgers.
Trout and Ohtani spent six seasons together on the Angels, but they appeared in the lineup simultaneously in only 46.6% of the games. During this period, the team recorded a 194-211 win-loss record.
Author's Summary
Despite Mike Trout’s historic talent and loyalty, the Angels’ playoff absence contrasts sharply with Shohei Ohtani’s recent World Series successes after leaving the team.