Let me start my weekly column by making one thing very clear. Every article that talks about Mike Trout being traded from the Los Angeles Angels (including this one) is making an assumption that a) the Angels would actually trade a future Hall of Famer and b) Trout would agree to a trade, knowing that he has a no-trade clause.
Those are two big hurdles to overcome, and our own Robert Murray outlined here exactly why a trade of Trout is anything but easy. However, while we know Trout is loyal to the Angels and has worked hard to be part of a postseason contender in Anaheim, it simply hasn't happened. With the Angels' decision to part ways with several players acquired at the MLB trade deadline and the likelihood that Shohei Ohtani will leave Anaheim this offseason, Trout asking for a meeting of the minds with Angels management makes perfect sense.
So which direction with the spinning arrow of Trout's future in Anaheim point? Likely nowhere, but it can be assumed that Trout will go into any meeting with the Angels planning to emphasize his desire to be a part of the postseason again (remember, he's only played in one postseason series, and that was in 2014) and wanting to know management's plans to make that happen.
What could be on Mike Trout's plausible wish list and which teams could match those wishes?
Winning is certainly assumed to be on Trout's wish list, but what else could we add to a plausible wish list for the 32-year-old superstar?
Well, let's add familiarity ... and that brings us back to the Philadelphia Phillies. Yes, it's unlikely, but it's hard to deny the symmetry that could be there for the 32-year-old native of nearby New Jersey. He's a diehard Eagles fan and he's building a golf course with Tiger Woods in New Jersey with construction expected to begin in 2024. Talk about some perfect timing.
The Phillies have also shown they can win, and combine that with the closeness of home and a new project and the thought would have to be appealing to Trout.
Realistic? Maybe not. Appealing and dream-scenario worthy? Absolutely.
Want to keep winning and familiarity together as bucket list items for Trout? Fine. Let's keep him in Los Angeles and envision a deal worked with the Dodgers. Let's face it, few teams are as aggressive when it comes to locking in superstars as that other L.A. team. Envisioning a lineup with Trout, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the heart of it certainly seems like a nightmare for the rest of Major League Baseball.
Trout already knows L.A. and the Dodgers already know winning. Put those two things together and the Dodgers' theoretical willingness to take on his contract and part ways with the talent that Arte Moreno will be wanting and it sounds (in theory) like a possibility ... if Moreno could stomach the thought of sending a generational talent to Chavez Ravine and seeing all of the Dodgers billboards showcasing Trout as a part of their future.
Still not buying it? OK, let's bring in another of Trout's loves, and that is golf. When time affords and the Angels are on the road, we know Trout loves to hit the local golf courses to keep his game in tune. So how about somewhere that features golf most of the year and winning as well?
With that, I'll go absolutely crazy and join in with our own Mark Powell and throw out the Atlanta Braves. Powell put together a potential trade package for Trout in this article that he opined would be enough to entice the Angels to trade him. If Trout wants to chase a World Series and Moreno wants to make sure he trades his superstar to a National League team, this could be a possibility.
Alex Anthopoulos has been known to take some chances in the past, including making deals to rebuild his outfield ahead of the 2021 MLB trade deadline. The moves paid off, with the Braves winning the Fall Classic that season. Would this be the craziest move he could make, especially with Michael Harris II quite content in center field? Possibly so.
A trade to Atlanta also gives Trout one additional trip to Philadelphia each year as well, so maybe there's the family card? It's a long shot, but so is a trade to the Braves to be perfectly honest.
All of this is an exercise in "what if" and "what could" for sure. However, while the chances of Trout leaving Anaheim seem very slim, imagining him in a different uniform is certainly tantalizing for plenty of fanbases out there.
