With the trade deadline approaching and the New York Yankees feeling the need for a power hitter in the offense, the name of Mike Trout has been floated by many. The Los Angeles Angels slugger is a three-time MVP, but it’s safe to say he no longer hits as well as he used to in the early 2010s.
On Sunday, WFAN’s New York sports radio host Tommy Lugauer urged the ballclub to stay away from trading for Trout with a 10-foot pole. His reasons reflected Trout’s age, massive 12-year, $426.5 million contract (which runs through the 2030 season) and injury history, which is disadvantageous to the Yankees’ current setup.
“One player I would not touch with a 10-foot pole and one player I would stay completely away from if I’m the Yankees is Mike Trout,” Lugauer said. “You already have an albatross of a contract with Stanton. Why would you want to add another one with Mike Trout? He’s not the player he used to be. The contract is awful. He gets hurt too much. He’s unproven in October, Mike Trout is.”
The analyst acknowledged Trout’s reputation as an elite hitter, but he is long past his prime. This season, the Angels slugger is hitting .237 with 18 home runs and 39 RBIs. While the power numbers are still there, committing to him would be an “unwise” decision from the Yankees, per Lugauer.
“Yeah, he’s a huge name,” Lugauer said. “Yeah, he’s a shiny toy. Yeah, it would be a big splash because of the brand of Mike Trout coming to the Yankees. And I’m sure Yankee fans would be thrilled because it is Mike Trout. It’s a future Hall of Famer.
“But it would be a very unwise decision by Brian Cashman and the Yankees. I wouldn’t go anywhere near Trout. Horrible contract. Injury prone. Not the player he used to be. Unproven in October. Not the type of player that you want to bring in here.”
MLB Analyst Points One Name Yankees Should Trade For
In the absence of Aaron Judge, who has not played since May 31 due to a rib injury, the Yankees have been miserable on offense. During last week’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays, they were struck out 34 times in the span of just two games, a franchise record.
While Tommy Lugauer has ruled out the possibility of Mike Trout, he mentioned another hitter who could fill the gap in the offense.
“Luis Arraez? Absolutely,” Lugauer said.
The context lies in Lugauer’s previous assessment, where he mentioned how the Yankees’ approach to hitting has been. The team has been reliant on home runs and needs someone who can put the ball in play and drive the runners in. The San Francisco Giants slugger could fill the role well, as he is a three-time batting champion, a good contact hitter and is also hitting well above .300 this season as well.
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