Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout hit a two-run homer in a 13-1 rout of the Texas Rangers—his first game back from a hamstring injury.
The Angels already had a comfortable lead when Trout stepped up to the plate, but that didn’t stop the former MVP from laying into a baseball. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Trout crushed a changeup 438 feet, scoring two more runs to put the game well out of reach.
Trout spent a few weeks on the injured list with a hamstring strain, putting a brief stop to the fantastic season he enjoyed up to that point. Trout won the fan vote for the All-Star Game, meaning his return comes at the perfect time with the Midsummer Classic just around the corner.
Prior to his injury, Trout had a .866 OPS with 17 homers and 36 RBIs on the year.
After his two-run shot, Trout increased his totals to 18 homers and 38 RBIs on the year. He went 1-for-4 on the evening, scoring two runs on the day.
The Angels’ win put an end to a seven-game losing streak, and is a step in the right direction after their offense’s struggles over the past week. During their seven-game skid, the Angels only scored more than three runs on one occasion.
Trout’s return is huge for the Angels, who have struggled to put together much offense at all since he’s been out. Their recent cold streak put them 20 games under .500, and they’re still 4.5 games out of fourth place in the AL West.
What do the Angels need to do this season?
As far as the competing this season goes, the Angels are just about as far out of the race as possible, though that doesn’t mean they can’t have a productive year.
While they won’t find themselves in the playoff picture come September, the Angels can still move some players at the Aug. 3 deadline to put themselves in a good position going forward. The Angels have a few candidates to trade, and could lay a foundation for future success by trading one or two of these players.
By making a few moves, the Angels could set themselves up for the coming years despite their shortcomings this season.
The post Mike Trout Hammers Homer in 1st Game Back from Injury appeared first on LA Sports Report.
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