Mike Trout’s 2024 season is officially over due to injury.
The Los Angeles Angels superstar suffered a second torn meniscus in his left knee, as announced Thursday. This injury follows his original meniscus tear in late April, from which he had not returned to play.
Trout’s surgery to repair the initial tear was not expected to end his season. However, Angels general manager Perry Minasian stated that Trout is “devastated” by the setback but expects him to return fully healthy in 2025.
“He’s gonna come back next year, win the MVP, (and) hit 70 home runs,” Minasian said, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
Last week, Trout began a rehab assignment in Triple-A but left his first game after two innings due to soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Although an initial MRI came back clean, a second MRI, performed after continued pain, revealed the new tear, as reported by Sam Blum of The Athletic.
Trout’s 2024 campaign ends with him hitting .220/.325/.541 with 10 home runs and 14 RBIs over 29 games. He was leading the majors in home runs at the time of his first injury.
Since his 12-year, $426.5-million extension with the Angels in 2019, Trout has faced numerous injuries, including issues with his calf, back, wrist, and now knee. These injuries have limited him to 266 games since 2021 and 453 games since his contract extension.
In May, Trout opted for surgery to address his initial tear rather than continuing to play as a designated hitter for the remainder of the season.
The Angels have struggled without Trout, holding a 47-61 record as of Thursday. They are on track for a losing season for the ninth consecutive year and have not made the playoffs since 2014.
