By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Trout is expected to be activated off the injured list on Friday before the Los Angeles Angels face the Cleveland Guardians, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.
The Angels have an open roster spot after Matthew Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday.
Trout hasn’t played since April 30, when he left the game against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning with soreness in his left knee eventually diagnosed as a bone bruise. The three-time American League MVP had two operations last year on the knee after tearing his meniscus.
The 33-year-old Trout has missed 26 straight games after playing in the Angels’ first 29 this season. The Halos (25-30) are beginning a six-game trip and have dropped five straight.
Trout was hitting .179 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs and a .727 OPS before being placed on the injured list. He did some base running and faced a minor league pitcher during the Angels’ recent series at home against the New York Yankees.
Trout has missed 404 of the Angels’ 664 games — almost 61% — since May 17, 2021, when he tore his calf muscle and was sidelined for the rest of that season. This is the fifth straight year the slugger has had a stint of at least 25 games on the IL.
He missed five weeks of the 2022 season with a back injury, and all but one game after July 3 in 2023 after he broke a bone in his hand on a foul ball. Trout played in 29 games last season before the meniscus injury.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB