The best player of his generation just got the biggest contract in sports history, but is he sacrificing his shot at October glory by staying in Anaheim?
There will not be a bidding war for Mike Trout’s services in two years. He will not be joining Bryce Harper in Philadelphia or wearing Yankees pinstripes. He will not skip up I-5 to sign with the Dodgers. He will not follow the path of so many superstars who leave their original franchise for greener pastures somewhere else. Mike Trout will now be an Angel for life.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are finalizing a 12-year, $430 million contract extension that will potentially keep Trout with the Angels through the 2030 season, when he’ll be 38 years old. The contract shatters the $330 million deal Harper recently signed with the Phillies for the largest in MLB history, and the average annual value of $35.8 million is another record. It may be a bargain.
There’s not much debate about who is No. 1. So what would it take for, say, Mookie Betts or Jose Altuve to supplant the star of stars?
A major shake-up brings a new crew of All-Stars to the forefront, with some of the game’s biggest names on the outside looking in.
We know MLB players peak in their 20s and decline in their 30s. What happens in between? Millions of tiny changes to their bodies and minds that are nothing short of remarkable.
By the end of the contract, there is a chance Trout might be regarded as the greatest player of all time, right up there with Babe Ruth and Ted Williams and Willie Mays and Barry Bonds. Through his age-26 season, Trout has won two MVP awards and finished second in the voting four times. He has compiled the highest career WAR through his age of any position player in history, just ahead of Ty Cobb and Mickey Mantle. He led the American League the past three years in on-base percentage, the past two seasons in OPS and the past four seasons in park-adjusted OPS. He has hit.300 five times and owns a .307 career average. He hits for power, steals bases, draws walks, scores runs and plays center field.
In short, Trout does everything well. Barring injury, his skill set will age well since he’s strong, athletic and fast, even if he has to move to left field down the road or even to designated hitter way down the road. The recent contracts that Harper and Manny Machado signed contain a great deal more risk than this, because Trout is the far superior and more consistent player.
ESPN goes behind the scenes for an in-depth profile of MLB’s best player. Watch »
Olney: Untold Mike Trout stories from those who know him best »
There is one thing Trout hasn’t accomplished, however: He hasn’t won a playoff game. In his seven full seasons with the Angels, they’ve made the playoffs once and were promptly swept in three games.
