Angels News: Mike Trout Nearing a Return to Action

The Angels superstar could be back very soon.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout has been out of action since suffering a broken hamate bone in a July 3 loss to the San Diego Padres.

It was a devastating injury for the then-struggling Halos, who dropped to 45-42 on the year with the loss, their fifth over their last six games.

The injury was supposed to see Trout be off the field until late August, but he could return much sooner than that as he's responded well during the rehab process, Angels manager Phil Nevin told Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register.

“As soon as he feels good enough to swing and hit a ball, which I think is imminent, (a return) will be pretty quick after that,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “Once he can just get a feel for swinging a bat, it’s a pain tolerance thing. This is about the time, or the earliest that recovery starts to happen, and he’s right on top of that.”

“It’s one thing to take a dry swing, it’s another to hit one off the end (of the bat) where it’s kind of rattling through your hands and the vibration gets you,” Nevin said. “I think it’s going to happen pretty soon. He feels confident that it will.” (via the Orange County Register)

When he returns, the Halos superstar will return to a new-look and much improved Angels team.

Los Angeles acquired starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, reliever Reynaldo Lopez, outfielder Randal Grichuk, and first baseman CJ Cron ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and they see themselves just four games out of a playoff spot, a far cry from when they were eight games out on July 14.

The Halos have played admirably in Trout's absence, but his imminent return comes at the perfect time for his team -- who are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014.