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 absence for a player of his caliber. The three-time MVP, now 34, approaches the final phase of his career with the Los Angeles Angels.
The center fielder has accumulated an 87.5 WAR, the highest ever for a modern player without a postseason victory. Since their 2014 ALDS loss to Kansas City, Trout and the Angels have not returned to the playoffs, and the franchise hasn't won a postseason game since 2009, the year Trout was drafted.
In March 2019, Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract extension—the most lucrative deal in North American sports history at the time. Approximately $190 million remains on the contract, which extends through 2030.
"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, describing such a move as "the easy way out."
Former teammate Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023 and has since won World Series titles in every season after leaving Anaheim. Though Trout and Ohtani played together for six seasons, they shared the lineup in only 46.6% of Angels games, during which the team posted a 194-211 record.
Summary
Despite Mike Trout's exceptional career and loyalty to the Angels, he remains postseason-starved while former teammate Shohei Ohtani has achieved championship success with the Dodgers.
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