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SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Bees return to Smith's Ballpark on Tuesday and three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star Mike Trout will take the field with them when they do.
The Bees front office confirmed Saturday night that Trout has been assigned to rehab with the team as he recovers from a recent knee surgery before he returns to the Los Angeles Angels. Salt Lake will begin a six-game homestand against the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday.
Angels skipper Ron Washington told reporters on Friday that Trout would likely make a rehab stint with the Bees but it wasn't clear when.
Rhett Bollinger, MLB.com's Los Angeles Angels beat writer, reported earlier Saturday that Trout was expected to face live pitching at the team's spring training complex in Arizona this weekend and then join the Bees on Monday as he rehabs from a knee injury.
Bollinger adds that the 33-year-old outfielder could rejoin the Angels on Thursday, meaning he would potentially make two rehab starts in Salt Lake before he's back with the Bees' parent club.
Trout was batting .220 with 10 home runs in 29 games with the Angels this season when he tore his meniscus in April. He's been out since as he recovers from surgery to repair it.
If he does rehab with the Bees, it would mark Trout's first time back to Smith's Ballpark in over a decade.
Then still a prospect with some major league experience, Trout appeared on the Bees' 2012 Opening Day roster and put on a show during his one month with the Triple-A club. Los Angeles recalled the outfielder after he hit .403 with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in 20 games in Salt Lake.
The rest was history for the likely future Hall of Fame talent. He ended his first full season in the big leagues with a robust .326 batting average, along with 30 home runs, 83 RBIs and 49 stolen bases. He was named an All-Star, American League Rookie of the Year and finished second in the MVP race behind Miguel Cabrera, who led the league in average, home runs and RBIs for baseball's first triple crown in 45 years.
Trout now boasts a lifetime batting average of .299 with 378 home runs, 954 RBIs and 1,123 runs scored in 14 seasons. He has won nine Silver Slugger awards and two Hank Aaron awards throughout his career, in addition to his three MVP awards and 11 All-Star appearances.
