Angels Announce Mike Trout’s Return Ahead of Friday Game

The star outfielder has not played since July 12 due to rib and upper back injuries.

The Angels welcomes a very familiar face back to the lineup ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Tigers, announcing the return of Mike Trout from a month-long stint on the injured list.

L.A. made the anticipated announcement on social media in a rather unsuspecting TikTok video, shouting out a few fan favorites on the roster. The clip, titled “Things we love to see,” showcases highlights acknowledging David Fletcher’s hands, Shohei Ohtani’s hair, Luis Rengifo’s smile, Michael Lorenzen’s biceps and last but certainly not least, “Trout’s back.”

In case fans missed it on the first viewing, or still didn’t get it on a double take, the Angels confirmed the news with a photo of Trout holding up a peace sign with a wink emoji plastered beside him to end the video. 

Trout, 31, landed on IL on July 18 with rib and upper back injuries, and has not appeared in a game since July 12.

👀 pic.twitter.com/B2QwVhOenb

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 19, 2022

Aside from sending Angels supporters into the weekend on a high note, Trout’s return signals an encouraging step forward for the star outfielder after he was diagnosed with a rare chronic back condition known as “costovertebral dysfunction at T5” in his spine while sidelined. The three-time MVP has also been dealing with rib cage inflammation. 

Last month, Trout sounded optimistic about playing again in 2022 after meeting with spine specialist Dr. Robert Watkins, and returned to rotational exercises shortly thereafter. He echoed those same sentiments when discussing providing an update on his status Wednesday. 

“I’m excited,” Trout said, per MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. “I’m happy with the progress. It was good for me to take time off and get it out of there. And now I get to play for about a month and a week, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Through 79 games this season, Trout is batting .270/.368/.599 with 24 home runs and 51 RBIs. During his 29-game absence, the Angels (51–67) posted a 12–17 record, falling firmly out of playoff contention for an eighth straight campaign.