The Never-Ending Story
March 26, 2026 - Written by Jacob Firmage
Mike Trout with a solo homer and the #Angels take a 1-0 lead. He's 1-for-1 with three walks. It's his fifth career homer on Opening Day, which extends his club record. Went a projected 403 feet. pic.twitter.com/QQwjdPypjK
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) March 26, 2026
I want to preface this immediately with saying that this will a purely opinionated piece by an emotional fan, annoyed with the groundhog’s day cycle we find ourself in somehow on the first day of the Angels 2026 season. The ludicrous argument for the Angels to trade Mike Trout didn’t even make it a full day into the Angels season. Mike Trout is the Angels. He doesn’t have to be the best player on the team anymore, even though he provided an Opening Day that could give brief hope he out performs Zach Neto. He is though one of the greatest to ever step foot on the field. The Angels have had many reasons and chances to trade him. Himself and the Angels waved at those moments and opportunities and with multiple extensions recommitted themselves to one and another. It has been a brutal 11 full seasons since the Angels last playoff appearance. They squandered two of the greats together. They never synced up in health and performance. Players have come and gone. Trout has remained.
The Millville Meteor, The Kid or The Phenom who as Victor Rojas once put it, “Never ceases to amaze” has provided those moments to fans of baseball, not just the Angels, since he broke out in 2012. One thing has remained rather elusive for the future Hall of Famer. Playoff appearances and a chance to compete on the brightest of stages. He hasn’t wavered in his wishes to win with the Angels. Fans of other teams, media personnel and at times even some Angels fans have wished him better luck elsewhere. To ditch a seemingly cursed franchise. But he has remained. Trout has said it himself that he would prefer to win in Anaheim than taking the easy route and winning elsewhere. Maybe that was seen as a knock-on others.. Hello Shohei. I don’t think it was though. I think it was circling back to a commitment to the fans of the Angels and his love of the team that drafted the young kid he once was.
Steve Phillips entered Angels fans into a decade and a half cycle today with comments such as the Angels are “3 years from being 3 years away…” and continued that “Ideally he plays well, and can be traded”. That “that’s probably what they (Angels) want to do.” Us Angels fans understand more than anyone how bad we want Trout in the playoffs. Baseball has deserved it for years. Adnan Virk added in that the playoffs aren’t happening soon in argument against former Angel, Chris Young. That the legacy of Michael Nelson Trout changes if he goes to a team such as the Phillies and wins a World Series. Mike Trout is Mike Trout. He was baseball preOhtani in the 2010 decade. His legacy is one of which we can all wish for better team circumstances, but it’s hard to find a scenario where he left and is thought of any differently other than he isn’t a lifetime Angel. I agree with Chris Young, he a “1% of the 1 percenter” type of player. Trout should be in the playoffs fighting for a World Series because as Joe Buck said in the 2002 World Series regarding Barry Bonds… “It’s a good day in baseball when Major Leagues best player gets a chance to play in the World Series.” but even without a World Series Bonds is still well, Barry Bonds. Even if we missed that chance of him in there as the best player in the league, I don’t think this team is 6+ years away. They go together. For better or worse they have been married and renewed the vows multiple times. Mike Trout has continually said he doesn’t want to be traded and wants to win with the Angels. The Angels, have continually said they don’t want to trade Mike Trout. I don’t look at Ken Griffey Jr. and say man... He didn’t win a World Series when he left Seattle. Ted Williams and wonder why he stayed with Boston instead of picking another team to try and win with. No, we look at them as legendary players who just never won a World Series. I want Trout in the playoffs. I want the Angels in the playoffs. But only 1 team a year wins the World Series. Leaving Anaheim doesn’t promise Trout a World Series ring. Pujols was a very clear example for Trout to look at. An elite, all-time player who unlike Trout reached the mountain top and won a championship but still left for greener pastures. I loved watching AP5 in an Angels uniform. But the pastures weren’t greener for him. He got hurt, worn down, didn’t win or bring titles to Anaheim. Sure, fans loved him but not the same as when he returned to St. Louis. Which leads me to my concluding thoughts.
Trout can go elsewhere and hope to win in this never-ending scenario where he decides to leave the only franchise he has ever known. Or he can know he is where he was always supposed to be. He is the franchise. He is Mike Trout. He is our star player. Our Kid, The Phenom we watched for all of these years. An opening day performance the Angels just had should be a day of wishful thinking. Not another ridiculous page in the never-ending story of Mike Trout being traded. Mike Trout isn’t going anywhere. So, buckle in folks. Enjoy the remaining time we have watching Trouty, an all-time great, wear an Angel uniform. He may be on the back nine of his career but maybe for one night we can think that greener pastures are in the Angels future with Trout right in the middle of the fun.
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