Despite his stellar career, injury-plagued seasons, and declining numbers question Trout's massive salary with the Los Angeles Angels sparks debate over his value.
When you think of a bright spot for the Los Angeles Angels, you think of superstar Mike Trout. He’s been a consistent positive on a team that’s seen nothing but negatives over the past decade and a half. Sure, Shohei Ohtani had amazing years in Anaheim that Angels fans will forever be grateful to have witnessed, but the team has always been Trout’s.
Despite not winning anything, Trout chose to stay with the Angels over anybody else. The club’s history has forever been altered by Trout, and it’s a shame they were never able to deliver much winning baseball for him. Still, it’d be hard to find an Angels fan to label Trout as overpaid, considering he has been the one bright spot on teh roster for years now.
From an outside perspective, Trout’s $37 million salary may look like a lot for a now-aging star, however. That’s certainly the case for Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, who chose Trout as the most overpaid designated hitter in baseball in a recent list.
Trout has seen a notable decline over the last few seasons in his production, but the biggest concern for him has always been his availability. Since 2020, Trout has played in fewer than 100 games in four different seasons with frequent trips to the injured list. After just 29 games in 2024, Trout came back and played in 130 last season. It was great to have him back on the field, but his regression was only put in the spotlight more.
In 2025, the 34-year-old finished with a slash line of .232/.359/.439 with an OPS of .797. A 121 OPS+ is something any team would appreciate from their designated hitter, but Trout has reached such incredible highs that such a statistic is viewed as underwhelming to many.
It’s just teh first time in his career he’s seen his OPS drop below .800 since his first stint in the MLB in 2011. His slugging percentage is teh lowest of his career since that season, and he posted his lowest batting average in a season of at least 41 games.
The signs are there for Trout, but he’s still a positive batter in the league. His salary puts him among the most expensive players in the league, but what he provides to the Angels goes far beyond that number. If the Angels aren't going to properly spend their money anyway, fans would prefer to watch Trout end his career in Anaheim than anywhere else. On paper, he may be overpaid, but that doesn't mean the Angels would ever regret signing him to his $426.5 million extension.