HOUSTON — The Angels continue to search for a way to get Mike Trout out of his current slump.
Angels hitting coach Johnny Washington said he’s nonetheless optimistic they will soon find something that clicks for Trout.
“We’ve been in the video room, watching, doing a bunch of comparison, things like that,” Washington said before Saturday’s game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas.
“But honestly, we just haven’t found the success we’re looking for in the game. It’s really frustrating. At the same time, man, he’s gonna keep coming in and we’re gonna keep going to work until we find it.”
Trout, a three-time MVP who routinely had an OPS around 1.000 in his prime and even around .850 in recent years, has seen his season OPS to drop to .786 with a miserable month.
Going into Saturday’s game, Trout is 11 for 61 (.180) with no homers and a .539 OPS in his last 18 games. It’s the fourth-longest stretch of his career without a homer, and the longest since 2015. He’s been stuck on 398 homers during this slump.
Trout has also struck out in 28 of his last 76 plate appearances (37%), and in the past week he’s whiffed in 13 of his last 19 trips to the plate.
“He’s been punching out a lot more than he should,” Washington said. “But he’s been working. Can’t complain about the work. We’re trying a few different things in terms of changing the work. We’re trying to get some of the work to bleed out into the game. It’s been rough for him. I know he’s not excited about what’s been taking place, but he continues to come to the ballpark (early). He’s been a true pro throughout this time and throughout this little rough patch he’s been in.”
Trout has gotten into two-strike counts in 74% of his plate appearances in August, which is the highest percentage for any month of his career. His overall percentage is 56%.
“He has been in a ton of two-strike counts,” Washington said. “There’s been some pitches that he’s taken that in the past he would actually swing at. We’ve identified some of that. Some of it is just ending the at-bat, when the at-bat should be ended, and at times he’ll foul off a pitch or swing and miss. He’s frustrated, to say the least. He’s working through it. And we’ll find a way to get through it.”
Trout addressed the slump earlier this week, saying simply that he was having trouble “recognizing the pitch, being on time.”
When asked if his knee was bothering him, Trout acknowledged that it’s not 100%.
“I feel it,” he said. “It is what it is.”
Trout, 34, has been limited to DH duty since he returned from a month on the injured list with a bone bruise in his left knee, which was surgically repaired twice last season.
Trout’s current performance has certainly given rise to the narrative that this isn’t merely a slump, but it’s just a reflection of the type of hitter he is at this point in his career.
Washington said he believes Trout will turn it around soon.
“I’m optimistic, with a month left, that that he’ll find some some traction,” Washington said, “and hopefully finish on a really good note.”
NOTES
The Angels are still undecided on their pitcher for Tuesday’s game in Kansas City. Left-hander Sam Aldegheri made his scheduled start Saturday at Double-A, eliminating him as a candidate. …
First baseman Nolan Schanuel (wrist contusion) is expected to try to swing a bat Sunday. “I would say better, but not significantly better,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “But enough to at least move forward.” …
Jorge Soler (back) took batting practice on the field Saturday. “We’re going to add a little more to it every day and kind of stack some gains on that,” Montgomery said.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP José Soriano, 9-9, 3.85) at Astros (RHP Hunter Brown, 10-6, 2.37), 11:10 a.m. PT Sunday, FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM
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