TEMPE, Ariz. — Three-time AL MVP Mike Trout hit his first homer of spring training on Wednesday, a solo shot over the left-field wall as the Los Angeles Angels star tries to bounce back from several injury-filled seasons.
The 33-year-old went deep in the third inning off Cincinnati Reds reliever Bryan Shaw. Trout was the designated hitter and plans to play a majority of his games in right field, moving from center in an attempt to preserve his health.
“It felt good,” Trout said. “Just having some good at-bats, seeing pitches and got a good result.”
Trout played just 29 games last season and had surgery on May 3 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
He missed all but 36 games of the 2021 season with a strained right calf, and was out between July 12 and Aug. 19 in 2022 because of an injury to his upper back and ribcage. Trout broke the hamate bone in his left hand when he fouled off a pitch on July 3, 2023, missing all but one game after July 3.
Trout’s last MVP season came in 2019 when he hit .291 with 45 homers and 104 RBI. He has a .299 career average with 378 homers over 14 seasons with the Angels.
Trout said his transition to right field has gone well. He’s played one game at the position so far this spring training and said he’s scheduled to be in right again later this week.
“Looking forward to it, getting some reads off the bat,” Trout said. “It’s different visuals you’ve got to work on and then you’ve got different angles on the line at different stadiums. It’ll be an adjustment but I’m enjoying it.”