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SALT LAKE CITY — Mike Trout glanced up at a message for him on the Smith's Ballpark videoboard as he walked onto the field for the first time in over a decade.
"Welcome back Mike," the message read with a 2012 photo of Trout in his Salt Lake Bees uniform.
So much has happened in Trout's career since he last played on this field. He never looked back after the Los Angeles Angels recalled him on April 28, 2012, after he hit a blistering .403 in 20 games with the Triple-A team. He wound up taking the major league by storm that year, winning Rookie of the Year and falling just shy of an MVP in his first full season.
He's now got three MVPs, 11 All-Star selections and nine Silver Slugger awards under his belt. While he'd rather be in the majors helping the Angels win games right now, he took time to appreciate the flood of memories that came when he stepped onto Smith's Ballpark field one more time.
He remembered living near the foothills with a few teammates and having to brush off nearly a foot of snow to get to the ballpark only to find the field in playing shape. He also has fond memories of the ballpark's stunning mountainous backdrop, but most of all he enjoyed playing at Smith's Ballpark.
"I just like hitting here," he said. "The fans are great. It's a beautiful ballpark ... so it's good to be back."
Trout's return is tied to the latest injury that has hampered the future Hall of Fame outfielder. He's missed most of this season after suffering a knee injury that required surgery.
The recovery process took longer than he expected, as he struggled not feeling sore the day after a workout. He said before the game he's feeling healthy now and eager to return to the major leagues, but he suffered a setback in his first game back.
Trout struck out in his only at-bat and made three putouts in center field before he was removed from the game after two innings. An Angels spokesperson said he was suffering from left knee soreness and is considered day-to-day.
He was expected to play on Wednesday before possibly rejoining the Angels later this week; it's unclear if the setback will change the plans. The team's homestand wraps up on Sunday.
While Trout is soaking in the memories, fans enjoyed the rare — albeit short — opportunity to see a star player still in his prime. Thousands of tickets were purchased after it was announced Trout would rehab in Salt Lake, said Bees communications director Kraig Williams. The game ended up falling just shy of a sellout by a few hundred seats.
Season ticket holders are normally allowed to watch batting practice, but Tuesday was the first time in at least a decade — if ever — that the team opened practice up to all ticket holders. A crowd braved the heat for nearly an hour just to catch a glimpse of him as he worked on baserunning and fielding drills before he took in batting practice, drawing "oohs" and "ahhs" with each swing.
All of them remained huddled around the Bees' dugout for hours with the hopes of snagging an autograph, which a few lucky fans were able to snag before the game began.
Bees players' stomachs were also thrilled with Trout's presence. The 11-time All-Star said he followed through on the major league rehab tradition where star players pay for the food in the clubhouse. He purchased a Chick-fil-A lunch spread for lunch and steaks for Tuesday night after scouting out options ahead of his visit.
"I'm living it up," Trout said. "I'm here now and I'll just get to working and enjoy it."
