Angels Open To Playing Mike Trout In Center Field

"Last offseason, the Angels moved Mike Trout out of center field. They hoped that he's stay healthier as an everyday right fielder after he'd been limited to 82 games or fewer in three of the previous four seasons. Things didn't go as planned, as Trout suffered a bone bruise in his left knee that cost him almost all of May. He avoided the injured list the rest of the way but was a full-time designated hitter."

""I'm not ruling anything out," the GM said (link via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). "We'll see where the team looks like when we get to Spring Training and what's in place and what gives us the best chance to win games. (He) might be playing center. One day might be playing left. One day might be DHing.""

"As Minasian noted, a lot could depend on what the remainder of the offseason looks like. The Angels entered the winter with a logjam in the corners. That's not so much the case after they traded Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez. It'd still be ideal to have Trout playing regularly in the outfield again, especially if they want to give Jorge Soler a rebound opportunity."

Mike Trout moved from center to right last offseason to preserve his health after multiple injury-limited seasons. Trout suffered a bone bruise in his left knee that cost him nearly all of May; he avoided the injured list thereafter but served primarily as the designated hitter and did not play any innings in center. General manager Perry Minasian indicated Trout could be rotated among outfield positions and DH next season, contingent on offseason moves. The Angels traded Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez, easing corner congestion. Preferred defensive alignment would place Trout in left, Jo Adell in right, and Jorge Soler at DH. Bryce Teodosio, Kyren Paris, and Matthew Lugo are center-field candidates, with Teodosio noted as an excellent defender but a .203/.248/.304 offensive line in 50 games.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors