Mike Trout's surgery news proves narrative right - MLB's top superstar's recent injury-plagued years show it all

Whenever a player gets injured more than once, they are slapped, like Mike Trout has been, with the injury-prone label.

If they are unlucky enough to continue getting hurt, that label gets worse and grows into a narrative. No longer are they injury-prone, but they "can't" stay healthy.

In sports, that narrative is sometimes a dealbreaker. Talent is one thing, but if a player is labeled as someone who can't be on the field, then the talent matters a lot less.

It's hard to say there is a player more talented than Trout. Even at age 32, Mike Trout was leading the league in home runs and stealing more bases than he had in a very long time. He was back and better... until it all came crashing down.

The latest news that he's going to have to get surgery comes as a troubling blow for both him and the Los Angeles Angels. It also permanently marks his legacy with this narrative. Trout was great, but he couldn't stay healthy.

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Exploring the Mike Trout injury narrative

Generally speaking, injuries are freak accidents. Aaron Judge has had his fair share of injuries, but it's hard to really fault him for missing two months after destroying his toe while making a catch against the wall. It's unpredictable and usually not the fault of the player.

Unless it's a repeat injury, such as a second Tommy John surgery or another lower leg injury, it's difficult to fault the player. It wasn't Mike Trout's fault that he broke his arm, and it's not his fault that he has now torn his meniscus.

However, the numbers don't lie. He's going to miss a ton of games this season, and he's done so frequently over the last few seasons. It has gotten much harder to ignore it, and that makes a big difference in his legacy.

Going into 2017, he'd never even been on the Injured List. Heading into 2021, he'd only missed about 50 days with injury in his entire career. He was on pace to become one of the all-time greats.

What matters tremendously in that argument is the number of games played. The simple fact that LeBron James has far surpassed Michael Jordan in career longevity gives him a key argument. With all the injuries, it's hard for Trout to have that.

Starting in 2021, he missed 263 games out of a possible 486. The numbers aren't going to get any better in 2024, as he's probably going to miss close to half the season.

Mike Trout will miss a lot of time once again

At this point, Mike Trout could retire, and he'd be a first-ballot Hall of Fame entrant.

He's that good and he's been that good. But for a while, many would have said he was one of the best to ever do it. That conversation cannot be held without mentioning his injuries, which are now as much a part of his legacy as his stats are.

He's a three-time MVP. He's an 11-time All-Star. He has historically good numbers.

But Trout is also the man who's now had four major injuries in four seasons. He admitted he's frustrated with the latest one, and it's very easy to see why.