Angels’ Mike Trout expects to return in July

ANAHEIM – Coming as close as he has so far to setting a timetable for a return, Angels outfielder Mike Trout said with confidence Saturday that he expects to be on the field at very least by this time next month.

Trout has not played in a game since April 29 and underwent a procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee May 3 with a general return estimate of three months.

And while the three-time MVP has progressed to jogging and is generally pain free during workouts, he has yet to run at full speed. He hasn’t even started swinging a bat.

Doing his best to avoid timetable questions Saturday, Trout was asked if it is reasonable to assume that he would be playing again at this time next month.

“Oh yeah for sure, I’m going to be back by then,” Trout said.

Ravaged by injuries in recent seasons, Trout has played at least 100 games just once since 2020 and he won’t hit that mark this season either. He would have to be back by July 10 to even have a chance at 100 games this season and that would be without missing a game the rest of the way.

“I feel really good ramping this up and I’m happy where I’m at right now,” said Trout, who was leading baseball with 10 home runs during the first month of the season. “It’s been a relief to feel nothing (in the knee), really.

“I get soreness here and there. If I overdo it, I get a little sore, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

Trout said he will have a clearer picture on a return when he starts running and that is expected to happen at some point soon.

“I think the goal right now is to keep upping the activity and intensity and to come in the next day feeling good,” he said.

Helping Trout to buoy his spirits has been the team’s play of late. The Angels took a season-best five-game winning streak into Saturday’s contest against the Detroit Tigers.

“Oh yeah, it makes me want to get out there for sure,” Trout said, even before the question about the team’s recent play was finished. “It’s fun to watch. It’s fun to see it coming together with the younger guys.”

LONG ROAD AHEAD

Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval said his Tommy John surgery this week included a brace procedure as well as a forearm flexor tendon repair. A timetable for a return is 12-14 months and Sandoval said he is hopeful to pitch during the second half next season.

Sandoval’s elbow injury occurred during an at-bat against former teammate Shohei Ohtani in his outing against the Dodgers last weekend. He went from injury to surgery in five days.

“It all happened pretty fast,” Sandoval said. “I felt I really didn’t get a chance to process what was going on, which I think, honestly, was better. I feel like if it would have taken longer, dragged out, I would have been dreading surgery. Get in, get surgery, come back and just focus on recovery.”

ROTATION PLANS

Manager Ron Washington laid out the rotation for next week’s trip to Oakland and the trio of starters would have been hard to fathom just a week ago.

In the series opener Tuesday, right-hander Jose Soriano is expected to return from the injured list after his recovery from an abdominal infection. Soriano’s last outing was a season-best eight innings when he gave up two runs and earned the win.

Right-hander Davis Daniel will get a chance to build off his impressive first major league start Thursday when he faces the A’s on Wednesday. Daniel went eight scoreless innings in his season debut.

In the series finale Thursday, right-hander Roansy Contreras will make his second start after going three innings and 61 pitches on Wednesday against Oakland. Washington said Contreras could be stretched out to as many as 85 pitches.

PITCHER SWAP

After his rough outing Friday when 16 of his last 19 pitches were out of the strike zone, the Angels optioned right-hander Zach Plesac to Triple -A Salt Lake.

Right-hander Andrew Wantz was recalled from Triple-A and is set to make his season debut after going 2-0 with a 3.89 ERA in 27 outings (three starts) last season.

Wantz was the first Pacific Coast League pitcher of the week this season after a career-best 11-strikeout performance against Tacoma. But he missed nearly two months with a forearm strain and gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings in his most recent outing Sunday against Reno.

“He’s here for multiple innings,” Washington said.

UP NEXT

Tigers (RHP Casey Mize, 1-6, 4.54 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 7-7, 2.63 ERA), Sunday, 1:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, AM-830.