A 100-loss season brought the Arte Moreno era to a close in Los Angeles, but the Angels’ next chapter is already taking shape under new ownership and a rebuilding roster. Even with the organization selling at the trade deadline, one major question was settled: Mike Trout is staying put.
The three-time MVP remained with the Angels through the deadline, and he has also made it clear he plans to keep wearing a Halos uniform until his contract runs out after the 2030 season. So for a team trying to reset after a historically bad year, Trout’s place in the picture is no longer up for debate.
What does matter now is what Trout still looks like at 35, and his 2026 season offered a strong answer. He played 142 games, his highest total since 2016, and health was no longer the constant issue it had been in recent years. That alone changed the tone of his year, but the production came with it too.
Trout posted a 4.1 bWAR in 2026, more than doubling his 1.7 mark from 2025, when he appeared in 130 games. A big reason for that jump was his return to the outfield under manager Kurt Suzuki. He is not the same defender he once was in his prime, but he still brings an above-average arm in center field.
The defensive usage shifted heavily. Trout logged only 33 games as the designated hitter, nearly flipping his split from the year before, yet he still showed up almost every night and stayed on the field.
His offense ticked up as well. Trout pushed his OPS back above .800, finishing with a .242/.382/.421 slash line and a 129 wRC+. His 16.9% walk rate tied him for second in baseball with 107 walks, and his strikeout rate dropped from 32% to 26%.
Even in a season where the Angels struggled badly, Trout was still right there with Zach Neto and Reid Detmers in the conversation for the club’s most valuable player. His 22 home runs trailed only Neto, while his .382 on-base percentage and .803 OPS led the team.
The bottom line is simple: Trout’s 2026 season was a bounce-back year in the middle of a lost one for the Angels. He stayed healthy, contributed in the field, and gave the club real value again. With four years left on his deal, he may not be in MVP territory anymore, but he is still the face of the franchise and still one of the main reasons this new era has something to build around.
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For the Angels, the appeal is not just upside in the abstract but a profile that feels easier to project. Bremner already works effectively with a fastball, slider and cutter, and evaluators see him as a safer pitching prospect with the chance to work deep into games. In an organization that has spent plenty of time chasing answers on the mound, that kind of foundation can look almost as valuable as pure velocity. [Read more 🡒]