A Mike Trout trade has been speculated about for several years now. The Anaheim Angels outfielder is one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and the world has seen his talents wasted for over a decade now. It may seem like there is now hope for him to escape the hell he’s in, having inked a 12-year deal that keeps him under contract through the 2030 season. The Angels currently have the worst record in the American League West, and as usual, Trout is having a decent season.
While his average may be lower than ideal (.241), he is 11th in home runs (14) and 13th in OPS (.910). His total RBI’s (31) are 41st in the league, but that is a result of hitting second, behind Zach Neto. The second baseman is hitting just .235 with an on-base percentage (OBP) of .344. It’s hard to drive in teammates who aren’t on the basepaths. It’s also nearly impossible to get good pitches being protected by Vaughn Grissom (.237 with 3 home runs on the year). Trout needs a change of scenery, and the Angels need to do him a favor and send him to a contender.
A Mike Trout Trade To The Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians are 34-26 on the year, holding first place in the AL Central. They are doing this despite the top of the lineup not producing, outside of top prospect Travis Bazzana, who is hitting .308 in the leadoff spot. Cleveland could have Trout hit second, as he does with the Angels, and he’d actually have someone to drive in, or they could have him hit third, since current two-hole hitter Jose Ramirez has 20 stolen bases on the year. This would double the chances of Trout getting an RBI.
The team could package a deal around 20-year-old first baseman Ralphy Velazquez, who is currently hitting .307 with seven home runs split between AA and AAA in 2026. They could also look to move Angel Genao, a switch-hitting middle infielder. He was recently promoted to AAA Columbus, where he is hitting .265 through 22 games. They shouldn’t have to package both players for the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer, but they do have the prospects to pull off a deal and make a deep playoff run.
A Mike Trout Trade To The Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves lead the National League East with a 40-19 record. The top of their lineup is healthy, but all-world center fielder Ronald Acuna is underperforming. The former 40/40 player currently has Michael Harris hitting behind him (.302 with 13 home runs) and Matt Olson behind him (.266 with 16 home runs). Moving Trout into the second spot would move everyone else back one, putting Harris at the three and Olson at cleanup, giving Atlanta a more potent lineup.
Getting Trout would require parting with Cam Caminiti. The 19-year-old left-handed pitcher is currently in High-A Rome, where he’s 1-3 with a 5.16 ERA. The numbers don’t impress, but he is still a few years away from the show. A package centered around him should entice Anaheim to part ways with Trout, but the Braves may have to throw in another young player. Someone like JR Ritchie or Tate Southisene to get the deal across the finish line.
Mike Trout Trade To The New York Yankees
Of course, the evil empire would need to get in on the Trout sweepstakes. It’s what they have always done and what they will continue to do. The New York Yankees are battling the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East, and the Angels outfielder would be a great leadoff hitter in the Bronx to help them pull away. Trent Grisham is currently hitting there, and his .208 average does not impress. Trout may have a little more pop in his bat than a traditional leadoff hitter, but he’d be to the Yankees what Brady Anderson was to the Orioles in 1996.
The Yankees have a few young players they could offer the Angels, but the deal doesn’t happen unless they include George Lombard. The 20-year-old middle infielder is the Yankees’ top prospect, currently hitting .239, split between AA and AAA. If Anaheim prefers a young arm, New York could package Elmer Rodriguez with Dax Kilby to get a deal done.
Mike Trout Trade To The Los Angeles Dodgers
If the thought of Trout in pinstripes makes the average baseball fan sick, the idea of reuniting him with his former teammate on the league’s biggest payroll might kill them. The Dodgers have the best record in the NL West (not a surprise), and they boast one of baseball’s best lineups. There’s nothing wrong with the rich getting richer, though, and Trout could hit anywhere from leadoff to fifth and give opposing pitchers something to really be afraid of.
If it’s not bad enough that the Dodgers are loaded at every position, they also have a bountiful farm system. They have three outfielders the Angels could request. They might not come away with all three, but they could come away feeling like Meatloaf in 1977. Josue De Paula, Eduardo Quinterro, and Mike Sirota are all listed in Major League Baseball’s top 100 prospects list. Any combination could be enough for the Dodgers to keep Trout in California.
A Mike Trout Trade Could Happen Elsewhere…
Those were the top choices, but there are certainly other teams that could use a player destined for Cooperstown. The Chicago White Sox would love a player like Trout to protect their newest import, Munetaka Murakami. If those two hit back-to-back, who would the opposing pitcher throw to? The Brewers are 34-21 and could have Trout hit behind Christian Yelich. A .270 leadoff hitter could give Trout a few more opportunities to drive in runs.
The Chicago Cubs are supposed to be a big-city club, but they don’t always spend like it. Bringing in a player like Trout could keep that idea alive and provide the lineup with a little more pop. He would likely hit second behind last year’s breakout star, Pete Crow-Armstrong. No matter where he ends up, seeing Trout get a chance to chase a title would make fans of the game more than happy.
