"Mike Trout doesn't deserve to be on WBC team"- Fans erupt as Angels make history with 11th straight playoff miss

The Los Angeles Angels won't be playing in the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season after an 11-2 thrashing against the Seattle Mariners sealed their regular-season fate.

The Angels' challenge for a playoff spot fizzled out after the All-Star break, and Sunday's loss against the Mariners was the final nail in the coffin for the Halos. It's also the 11th season without a postseason appearance for Mike Trout.

Fans reacted to the Angels' longest active streak with postseason baseball.

"Trout don’t deserve to be on the WBC team."

"Mike Trout wanted this when he signed that extension he knew they were shit."

"Trout is thrilled… his annual Oct trip to see the Philadelphia Eagles is intact… congrats Mike."

"Who would've thought back in 2014, after they got swept by the Royals in the ALDS, that Trout and the Angels would never get back to the playoffs."

"That’s what happens when you put all your millions into one player and neglect everything else it takes to build a real team."

The Angels last made the playoffs in 2014, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are the team with the second-longest active playoff drought; nine seasons, expected to extend to 10 this year.

Mike Trout vows to work hard and come back stronger after underwhelming 2025 season

After missing almost the entire 2024 season due to injury, Mike Trout arrived in Spring Training earlier this year with renewed hopes of ending the team's postseason drought.

While the Angels switched Trout's position in the outfield to preserve his fitness, the three-time MVP failed to live up to expectations at the plate. Trout is batting .231 with 21 home runs this season and has not gone deep in his last 30 games.

Despite the decline, Trout is confident he still has plenty to give at the plate.

“I’ve got (five) more years on the contract,” Trout said. “That’s what fuels me. I feel like I’ve got a lot left in my tank. And I know when it’s right, I can be the best.

“It’s been a frustrating year for me, mentally and physically. But I feel like I can get back to myself. I’ve got the fire in me to work hard this offseason to get back.”

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash