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SALT LAKE CITY — Mike Trout's rehab stint in Salt Lake hit a setback after two innings on Tuesday, and now it's unclear if the three-time MVP may play again in Utah.
The Los Angeles Angels announced Wednesday that the 32-year-old outfielder left the Bees so he could have his left knee reevaluated in California. He was previously listed day-to-day after he was pulled from Tuesday's game because of left knee soreness.
Trout was not expected to play all nine innings on Tuesday as he recovers from a torn meniscus, but he was supposed to go through various baseball scenarios while at Smith's Ballpark this week. He showed no signs of injury while going through a series of baserunning, fielding and hitting drills before Tuesday's game, and he didn't appear to favor his knee at all before he was pulled from the game.
The 11-time MLB All-Star struck out looking in his only plate appearance and made three putouts in center field. However, he was noticeably absent from the dugout during the bottom of the second and then replaced defensively by Bryce Teodosio in the top of the third.
Salt Lake Bees manager Keith Johnson said he also didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but he and Trout talked about it in the bottom of the second and they mutually agreed to pull him out of the game as a "precaution."
"There wasn't anything specific. It was just one of those things where he knows his body," Johnson said. "We'll see where he is after today."
He added he was told to be prepared to have Trout potentially through the weekend as the outfielder recovers, but the reevaluation will ultimately determine the next course of action. It's a decision that will likely be made between Trout, Angels general manager Perry Minasian and skipper Ron Washington.
As for the setback, Trout told reporters before batting practice Tuesday that his recovery from the injury has taken longer to come back from than he had hoped largely because of soreness. He added the biggest hurdle was not feeling sore the day after "exercises that I could do to get strength" and "finding that limit to push it."
Johnson — a former player and longtime coach — said he understands it. He points out that going through any injury is difficult even without the pressures of being a franchise player.
"For him to go through the things he's gone through the last few years, I know it's extremely frustrating," Johnson said. "I know there's a huge sense of frustration for his part because he knows he can help our big league club win and he wants to be back out there for himself. But at the same time, nobody knows his body better than him."
