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Despite being one of the most powerful hitters in the entire MLB, Mike Trout has traditionally been pretty passive when it comes to representing his country on the international stage.
The three-time AL MVP winner and face of the Los Angeles Angels sat out both the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic tournaments and went on to win AL MVP Awards in each successive year.
That all changed in late 2022 when Trout announced that he would suit up for Team USA at the 2023 WBC. His team's odds of winning the tournament went up the moment news got out, and he was also named captain.
By all accounts, Trout had a successful tournament. He slashed .296/.406/.556 with seven RBIs and a home run that came during a 12-1 pummeling of Team Canada at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Team USA burned through its opposition, including a thrilling 9-7 victory over Team Venezuela in the quarterfinals. Soon, only Trout's Los Angeles Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan stood in the USA's way.
In the end, Trout and his star-studded team fell to Japan 3-2. In the wake of the loss, Trout took to Twitter to offer a heartfelt message to his fans and teammates.
"It’s hard to sum up into words what these last couple of weeks have meant to me," Trout tweeted. "I had the time of my life representing that USA on my chest! The energy was electric and made the WBC a moment I’ll always cherish. So thank you all so much. It was an honor to be your captain."
Trout will now head back to training camp in Arizona ahead of the Angels' opening day matchup against the Oakland Athletics on March 31.
Despite the heartwarming message, Mike Trout faces a tough season ahead
Although Mike Trout has had a stupendous personal career, he has not witnessed many must-win situations. In fact, his only postseason experience came all the way back in 2014. With his team paying him big money, the Angels will expect more than just amicable Twitter posts from Trout in 2023.
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