Angels’ Mike Trout wants to make big change after 100-loss season

Mike Trout has spent most of his career patrolling center field for the Los Angeles Angels . After a 100-loss season , the three-time AL MVP is willing to give it up if it helps the team move forward.

That is a notable change for Trout, who entered 2026 determined to return to center field after spending much of the previous season as a designated hitter. He had said he felt more comfortable there and believed the position suited his body better.

The Angels finished 62-100 after Sunday's loss to the Seattle Mariners , officially recording the first 100-loss season in franchise history. After a year like that, even one of baseball's biggest stars appears ready to rethink where he fits.

Trout has offered to move to left field and take on more work as a designated hitter, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

That is not exactly the kind of offseason adjustment most players volunteer for. But Trout has a pretty good reason.

Mike Trout is willing to move for the Angels

The Angels need to improve after allowing 752 runs and finishing at the bottom of the AL West. Trout's willingness to move around could give the club more flexibility as John Mozeliak reshapes the roster.

It also comes after another season in which injuries remained part of the conversation around Trout. He dealt with a right hamstring strain during the season, adding to the long list of physical setbacks that have limited his availability in recent years.

Still, Trout managed to appear in 139 games and finish with a .242 batting average, 22 home runs and 54 RBI, according to the supplied 2026 statistics.

Los Angeles Angels right fielder Mike Trout (27) comes to bat in the first inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, April 10, 2026.

The interesting part is that Trout is not simply asking the Angels to build around him in the same way they always have. He is offering to change his role.

That could mean more time at DH, more games in left field and less responsibility in center.

For a player who once preferred center field so strongly that he specifically asked to return there, that is a meaningful shift.

The Angels have plenty of work ahead after going 62-100. At least their biggest star is already showing a willingness to move a few pieces around.