Mike Trout Diagnosed With Rare Spinal Condition

The Angels superstar hasn't played since June 12 and may not play when the Texas Rangers hit town for a four-game series starting on Thursday.

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout has a rare spinal condition that could persist for the rest of his Major League career.

Trout, a 10-time All-Star who is considered one of the best players in baseball, left a game on July 12 with what the Angels called back spasms. Shortly after, the Angels characterized his condition as rib cage inflammation.

Today, the Orange County Register reported that Trout was suffering from a rare back condition called “costovertebral dysfunction at T5,” referring to the vertebrae that it represents.

How rare? The report went on to quote the Angels’ head trainer, Mike Frostad:

"This is a pretty rare condition that he has right now in his back. (Dr. Robert Watkins), one of the most well-known spine surgeons in the country, if not the world, doesn't see a lot of these. For it to happen in a baseball player, we just have to take into consideration what he puts himself through with hitting, swinging on a daily basis just to get prepared and then also playing in the outfield, diving for balls. Jumping into the wall, things like that."

Trout received a cortisone shot last week. Trout didn’t play on Wednesday against Kansas City and it’s not clear if he’ll play when the Texas Rangers visit the Angels for a four-game series starting on Thursday. Trout did tell reporters that he was going to see a doctor on Sunday and that he intends to play again this season.

---

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.