Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout has been placed on the 10 day IL after suffering a hamate bone fracture in his left hand.
Trout was forced out of the Angels game vs. San Diego Monday in the 8th inning after fouling off a pitch. The 31 year old was in visible pain afterwards and called for a team medical staffer in short order.
“I just took a swing and something felt uncomfortable,” Trout said after the game. “I can’t describe the pain I felt. I never felt it before, ever, before this. I never had wrist problems or anything. Just freak things.”
Hamate bone fractures usually result in an absence of at least a month, and sometimes can take much longer. The injury also usually saps some of the player’s power even once they’re medically cleared to return to play, making it an injury with lingering effects.
The 11x All-Star was batting .263 with 18HRs, and 44RBIs prior to going down with the hand fracture. In a corresponding move, Los Angeles has recalled Jo Adell who figures to see some time in the outfield over the coming weeks. Most of the reps in centre field are likely to go to Mickey Moniak however.
It’s a blow the Angels can ill afford at the moment. After years of squandering the primes of both Trout and Shohei Ohtani’s careers, the club is finally in the thick of a playoff race as the league nears the All-Star break.
Sitting at 45-42, the Angels are chasing the Astros, Orioles and Yankees for a wildcard spot at the moment. The team currently sits 3 games back of Houston for the final postseason slot.
Los Angeles continues their series vs. San Diego today at 6:40pm ET.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.