Mike Trout is back in a familiar place: getting recognized for doing superstar things.
The Major League Baseball Players Association named Trout a finalist for the American League Comeback Player of the Year, putting him alongside the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez and the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole. Trout already landed another piece of hardware when his teammates voted him the Angels’ 2026 MVP, and now his bounce-back season has earned leaguewide attention.
The case is built on one simple fact: Trout was finally on the field again. He played in 142 games in 2026, more than he had since the 2016 season, and that kind of availability made a massive difference after the injury-hit stretch that came before it.
In 2023, Trout appeared in 82 games. In 2024, that number dropped all the way to 29.
He got into 130 games in 2025, but he still wasn’t fully right and spent less time in the field than usual.
By 2026, though, the version of Trout fans were waiting for was back. His sprint speed returned to pre-injury level, he was healthier, and he looked much more like the player who has spent years defining the top tier of the sport. He also earned another trip to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, giving him a chance to shine on baseball’s biggest stage in front of family and friends.
The numbers support the comeback case. Trout’s batting averages and underlying metrics did not change much from 2024 and 2025 to 2026, but his availability did.
After the meniscus tear that limited him to 29 games in 2024 and produced just 10 home runs, he started climbing back in 2025. That season brought a career-low .232 batting average and a .359 on-base percentage, even with 130 games played.
In 2026, the 35-year-old turned the page. He finished with a .382 on-base percentage, 22 home runs, 54 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and an OPS of .803.
The stolen-base total stood out most, especially after he managed just two the year before. The home-run and RBI totals held steady, but the bigger story was that Trout’s overall game again looked complete.
That kind of season should put him in line for a historic 10th Silver Slugger Award.
The award race itself also includes plenty of star power. Alvarez surged from 0.7 bWAR in 2025 to 6.8 in 2026 while leading the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Cole missed all of 2025, then returned to strike out 131 batters in 127 innings with a 1.126 WHIP.
For Trout and the Angels, though, the broader value of the season goes beyond the trophy hunt. His resurgence gives Los Angeles a reliable anchor while the club works through its rebuild, and his willingness to spend more time at designated hitter and less in center field reflects a clear commitment to staying on the field.
At 35, Trout doesn’t have to carry everything for the Angels to matter. He just has to keep being Mike Trout.
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