ANAHEIM -- Mike Trout was back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Braves, missing just one game with the contusion he suffered after being hit on his left hand by a 94.2 mph fastball from Mariners reliever Casey Legumina on Sunday.
Trout's return was fortuitous timing, with the first 25,000 fans receiving a Mike Trout 400th home run bobblehead, but he went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts in a 7-2 loss to the Braves at Angel Stadium.
“I took some dry swings yesterday and I really didn't have too much pain, and I took some swings today and no sharp pain,” Trout said. “It was just still swollen [Monday]. The grip strength was there. Just get the swelling down. But it’s a big relief after what it looked like when it happened.”
Trout was dealing with a contusion after X-rays came back negative, but his hand was also visibly swollen after Sunday’s game. Manager Kurt Suzuki said Trout was doing better on Monday, but he was held out of the lineup for the series opener. Bryce Teodosio started in center field in his place with Jorge Soler in right field and batting in Trout’s usual No. 2 spot in the lineup. The swelling was still apparent on Tuesday, but had gone down considerably. It was so bad after being first hit that he had to use scissors to cut off his batting glove.
“We’re all good,” Trout said. “Dodged a bullet.”
Manager Kurt Suzuki said he was pleasantly surprised by Trout’s quick return to the lineup and that Trout even said he was available off the bench on Monday.
“It's nice to see him back in there,” Suzuki said. “If Mike tells you he wants to go in, you put him in.”
Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, was also frustrated on Sunday because it was the second time in the series he was hit by a pitch. Right-hander Bryan Woo threw up and in twice in Trout’s first at-bat on Friday and hit him with the second pitch. Woo later apologized in-game after Trout ran by the mound after a foul ball.
Trout said he was aware of Willson Contreras’ comments after being hit 24 times by Brewers pitchers, but just smiled and declined to comment on whether he had similar feelings toward the Mariners. Trout has been hit 13 times by the Mariners, and only the Rangers (17) have hit him more times.
Trout, 34, enters Tuesday’s game batting .212/.435/.424 with two homers, a double and three RBIs in 10 games this year. Pitchers have been reluctant to pitch to him, resulting in 11 walks, and he said Sunday he understands why teams try to pitch him up and in, but that they need to locate better.
“We know where they're trying to get me out, fastballs up and in, so it's just frustrating,” Trout said Sunday. “You know, if you can't control it up there, you shouldn't do it. So it is what it is."