MLB All-Str Mike Trout shuts down idea of leaving LA, says doubters fuel push to get Angels back to playoffs

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout opened the 2026 MLB All-Star Game with a strikeout successful his archetypal sheet appearance.

Trout is making his 12th All-Star quality adjacent home, with Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park sitting astir 40 miles from wherever helium was calved and raised successful New Jersey. But the Angels entered the interruption erstwhile again astatine the bottommost of the AL West standings.

The Angels person not reached the postseason since 2014, the longest progressive playoff drought successful MLB, with the Pittsburgh Pirates adjacent connected the database aft past playing October shot successful 2015.

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Los Angeles Angels halfway fielder Mike Trout warms up earlier the All-Star Game astatine Citizens Bank Park successful Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

At 38-59 entering the break, Los Angeles faces agelong likelihood of reversing people and mounting a playoff push, but Trout said the uncertainty surrounding the squad has lone fueled his motivation.

"I deliberation the substance of radical doubting america benignant of makes it much of a occurrence for maine to effort to get backmost to the playoffs," Trout told the Los Angeles Times. "I deliberation that's the biggest cardinal for me."

Trout made his large league debut with the Angels successful 2011, but the franchise has reached the postseason conscionable erstwhile during his tenure.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR DURING THE 2026 MLB ALL-STAR GAME AT CITIZENS BANK PARK IN PHILADELPHIA

The deficiency of squad occurrence has raised questions astir whether helium would see playing elsewhere successful the twilight of his career. But up of Tuesday’s All-Star Game, the three-time AL MVP said helium inactive has unfinished concern successful Southern California.

"Could I instrumentality the casual mode retired and conscionable leave? Yeah," Trout said.

Los Angeles Angels halfway fielder Mike Trout looks connected against the Minnesota Twins astatine Target Field successful Minneapolis, Minnesota, connected July 11, 2026. (Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

"But I deliberation - I said this past twelvemonth astir this time, but it's the aforesaid feeling I've been having - I truly haven't sat down and talked to anybody astir it specifically, but I cognize there's a clip where, if things change, who knows? I don't know. But, for me, close now, my absorption is connected trying to get this nine backmost successful the playoffs."

If Trout’s playoff hopes are going to go world this season, the Angels indispensable marque up 10 games successful the wild-card contention oregon adjacent an 11.5-game shortage down the first-place Texas Rangers successful the AL West.

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels warms up earlier the All-Star Game astatine Citizens Bank Park successful Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, connected July 14, 2026 (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

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Trout’s semipermanent aboriginal remains tied to the Angels aft helium signed a record-breaking hold successful 2019 that runs done the 2030 play and includes a afloat no-trade clause. Injuries person interrupted overmuch of his different stellar career, but helium entered the All-Star interruption having played successful 78 of Los Angeles’ 97 games portion hitting 18 location runs.

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