ANAHEIM -- A day after being hit on his left hand by a 94.2 mph fastball from Mariners reliever Casey Legumina on Sunday, Angels superstar Mike Trout was held out of the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Braves.
Trout is 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 is doing better but remains day to day, and they don’t know exactly when he’ll return to the lineup. 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.
“He’s feeling better today, but we’ll take it day by day,” Suzuki said. “It’s a little swollen, but it’s much better than yesterday. It improved a lot overnight. But he's still a little bit sore.”
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, 34, is 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."