Are The Angels Lining Up Mike Trout's Successor In Center Field?

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 4, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels have been forced to come to terms with the fact that Mike Trout won't play baseball again this season after tearing his meniscus for the second time this year.

Now, they are dealing with finding his replacement in center field and Manager Ron Washington is experimenting.

Washington put Jo Adell in center field on Friday night, moving Mickey Moniak over to right field.

“Since we lost Mike, we’re gonna just open it up and see what guys can do,” Washington said. “We already know Moniak can run around out there. We want to see if Jo can run around out there. The way he’s been playing right field, we just want to see what he’s what he can do, to give us options. My intention is to try to get them out there twice a week.”

Adell's defense has improved enough in right field for Washington to say he’s been playing “Gold Glove right field.” Adell had only started 13 games in center before Friday.

Moniak has played mostly center since Trout went down with his first injury this season. He can handle the position defensively but lacks offensively.

Neither outfielder has produced consistently enough at the plate for Washington to flat-out say who will take over permanently for the rest of the season.

Moniak struggles mightily against lefties. He also slumped against righties up until improving over the last six weeks. Adell, on the other hand, has been inconsistent. He started the season strong, went into a slump for a couple of months, and has only recently shown more positive signs since abandoning his leg kick.

Washington is also experimenting with the batting lineup. Early on this season, he didn't want his young guys in prime lineup spots because he didn't want their mindset to change.

“Just trying to figure out down the stretch here if he can,” Washington said. “I know I told you earlier in the year you probably won’t see it. But here it is. We just want to again look and see, the way he’s swinging the bat, look and see if he can handle it. That’s all. Just give us another option, because when he becomes the player that we think he’s gonna become, he’s gonna be somewhere in there.”

Trout has been the club's center fielder for more than a decade but he has spent most of the last four seasons on the IL. General Manager Perry Minasian said he is confident in Trout’s ability to return next season but won't say if he expects the face of the franchise to return to his position in center.

The Angels need to figure out if they have anyone else who can play there before making any more decisions.