Angels Urged To Trade Mike Trout; 4 Teams Linked
That disconnect is the entire argument Keith Law of The Athletic in a piece urging the Angels to explore trading the 34-year-old center fielder before his early-season surge fades and the window closes.
"The Angels need to look into trading him right now, as his value will never be higher, and his contract is still a major risk for them," Law wrote.
Trout leads the American League with 30 runs scored, ranks second with a .433 on-base percentage, and has hit ten home runs in 24 games, posting a .983 OPS that ranks ninth in the league.
He is healthy, playing defense in center field for the first time since his knee injury limited him to designated hitter duties for most of 2025, and showing sprint speed that his own team described as approaching elite levels again.
The Angels, despite all of it, are nowhere near contention and appear destined for another summer not in the race.
The Contract Complication
Trading Trout is not simple.
His 12-year, $426.5 million extension runs through 2030 with approximately $178 million remaining, and it includes a full no-trade clause that gives him complete veto power over any destination.
The Angels cannot move him to any team he does not personally approve.
The Angels need to look into trading Mike Trout right now, as his value will never be higher, and his contract is still a major risk for them.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 4, 2026
Los Angeles is further from contention now than they were when Trout signed this most recent extension, and their farm system ranked as… pic.twitter.com/0CNfxqTnRF
That clause, with his contract size, is why this conversation has been mostly theoretical until now.
Law's argument is that Trout's hot start changes the calculation on both sides.
For the Angels, his value has never been more tradeable than it is right now after years of injury-shortened seasons that made teams reluctant to absorb the contract.
For Trout himself, a chance to compete for a championship at age 34 on a team going nowhere is a conversation worth having if the right partner emerges.
The Four Fits Law Named
Law identified the Philadelphia Phillies as the most obvious trade partner.
Trout is from Millville, New Jersey, a diehard Eagles fan, and a local star who would generate a level of excitement in Philadelphia that no other potential trade could match.
The Phillies just fired manager Rob Thomson, indicating a sense of urgency around their 2026 season, and GM Dave Dombrowski has never been reluctant to trade prospects for impact players.
Law's proposed framework involves the Phillies sending outfield prospects Justin Crawford or Dante Nori alongside low-level depth.
What if Mike Trout waives his no trade clause... pic.twitter.com/0d75RA7a2U
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) May 4, 2026
The Angels would likely need to absorb a big portion of the remaining contract to make the dollars work for Philadelphia.
The Texas Rangers are a different kind of fit, with Law suggesting Evan Carter, the 23-year-old center fielder, and a top pitching prospect as the return.
The San Francisco Giants were mentioned with Casey Schmitt as a potential centerpiece, though the organizational match feels less compelling.
The New York Yankees emerged as the most headline-grabbing option, with Law floating a framework built around Giancarlo Stanton and second-tier prospects, which would amount to a salary swap rather than a traditional prospect haul.
Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
