Angels’ Mike Trout to leave rehab assignment for re-evaluation

SEATTLE — A day after Angels star Mike Trout came out of the first game of his rehab assignment because of left knee soreness, he was set to return to Southern California to be re-evaluated.

Manager Ron Washington said on Wednesday morning that there was a chance that Trout could return to the Triple-A Salt Lake lineup as the DH that night, but a few hours later the plan had changed.

The Angels had hoped that Trout could play two or three games in Salt Lake and be back in the lineup in Anaheim by this weekend, but all of that is now apparently on hold.

Trout has been out since April 29 because of a torn meniscus. The three-time American League MVP underwent surgery a few days later. The rehab has taken weeks longer than expected, and the latest setback is another disappointment for a player who has now missed significant time with injuries in each of the last four seasons.

Trout, who hit .220 with 10 homers and 14 RBIs in 29 games before he was injured, played in just 82 games because of a broken hamate bone last season, spent five weeks on the IL in 2022 with a back injury and missed most of the 2021 season with a strained calf muscle.

Trout played two innings on Tuesday night, striking out once and handling three routine fly balls. He then left the game. Later in the evening, he told Washington that he felt better, prompting hope that he could return to the field the next day.