"Battling for last again" "Tonight they go 6-6 with 6 homers in a 9-6 loss" - Los Angeles Angels fans predict continued losing run despite Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani's on-ground reunion

The Los Angeles Angels have very little left to play for this season. Amid lost hopes and lowered expectations, Mike Trout’s much anticipated return gave the Halos something to look forward to.

Trout has been out of action since July 12, with a lingering back injury. A costovertebral dysfunction in the T5 region of his spine, to be precise. After undergoing successful treatment, he is back and ready to go

The Angels activated Trout from the IL today ahead of their series-opener against the Detroit Tigers. He is now reunited with fellow Angels superstar and MVP candidate Shohei Ohtani.

However, the Angels have problems far too deep-rooted for one or two players to fix.

They have a generational talent in Shohei Ohtani, who seemingly does something that has never been done before in every other game. Sadly, Ohtani’s consistently phenomenal displays haven’t translated to the Angels having a half-decent campaign.

The Los Angeles Angels are 12.5 games behind for the American League’s final Wild Card spot. They have losing records both at home and away. They are 51-67 for the year after getting swept by the Seattle Mariners.

In their final game against the Mariners, where they lost 11-7, Ohtani went 4-for-5 with a homer, a triple, and four RBI's. Was that ultimately of any use? No, except for enhancing Ohtani’s personal record.

That has been a recurring theme this season - “Ohtani does something spectacular as the Angels lose to XYZ.” Is Trout’s return going to make any difference? Fans are not very hopeful.

The Angels have virtually no chance of making the playoffs. Even if Trout’s return leads to wins, it won’t lead to anything of substance.

The Angels offense has registered the seventh-fewest runs per game. With Trout back at their disposal, that statistic may improve a little.

Los Angeles Angels need to steady their ship to keep hold of their prized assets

The Los Angeles Angels have done very little to convince people that they will be in a World Series-contending position anytime soon.

Trout won’t be a free agent until 2031, so he will be staying for a while. However, Ohtani wouldn’t need to wait as long. He has a little over 16 months left on his contract.

Fans are of the opinion that both Trout and Ohtani will never win the World Series if they spend their entire careers with the Angels.

At the time of writing, the Los Angeles Angels led 1-0 after six innings against the Detroit Tigers in their series-opener.

About the author

Souvanik Seal is a senior journalist covering Major League Baseball (MLB) at Sportskeeda and began his media career at the age of 16. Since then, he has worked for some of the biggest publications in the world like Goal and Daily Mirror.

Souvanik also has an extensive background in Public Relations, having serviced brands like Eurosport, Spalding, Dunlop and Paytm. He has also managed PR deliverables for the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

Souvanik holds an MA in Journalism from Dublin City University and an MBA in Sports Management from EDC Paris Business School.

His list of favorites includes Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro Suzuki and Alex Rodriguez, as well as Shohei Ohtani, Jose Altuve and Bryce Harper from the current crop. His favorite MLB moments include the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series in 2016 (ending a 108-year drought), the Red Sox ending the 'Curse of Bambino,' and the Arizona Diamondbacks reaching the World Series in 2023.

Besides speaking English, Bengali and Hindi, Souvanik is also fluent in French.

Know More