New, Surprising Team Linked to Potential Mike Trout Trade

Mike Trout has been one of the great players of this century. Maybe of all-time. A three-time MVP, 11-time All-Star, and nine-time Silver Slugger. After years and years of injury troubles, he's finally back to playing full-time and performing like the All-World player he used to be. He has 11 homers and 32 runs in 38 games, with a .966 OPS, and a 36:42 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

But the LA Angels are, well... The Angels once again this year. Buried in last place in the entire American League. Could this be the year that he finally admits it's time for him to move on? He'll be turning 35 this summer, and with his injury history, it might behoove him to try to get to a contender to see if he can get a shot at a World Series before it's too late.

Could Mike Trout accept a trade to the CF-needy Tigers?

If that's the case, one team that's been proposed as a landing spot that makes sense is the Detroit Tigers. Ace Tarik Skubal, from the latest reports, won't be out as long as initially thought, and the team should still be a contender come playoff time. Skubal will be a free agent after the season, and undoubtedly won't be back, so the Tigers need to make hay now, similar to Trout.

Chris Landers of Fansided admits that Trout's salary ($37 million, for another four years after this one, by the way) is a hefty one for a small-market team like Detroit to take on, but, "if they're not retaining Skubal, there should be some payroll flexibility to burn."

The fit is ideal, as center field has been a problem spot for the Tigers, with supposed long-term solution Parker Meadows unable to stay healthy, or productive in any way, shape or form.

Trout has continually insisted he doesn't want to leave Anaheim, but with Father Time creeping in, and his performing at an elite level again and being healthy (knock on wood), this might be the time to seriously consider it.