On Tuesday, Mike Trout of the Angels struggled to contain his emotions as he addressed yet another injury that will likely sideline him for an extended period. The 11-time All-Star and three-time AL MVP sustained a torn meniscus in his left knee during Monday's 6-5 victory over the Phillies. General manager Perry Minasian confirmed that the star outfielder will undergo surgery in the coming days. Although no exact timeline has been provided, the procedure is not expected to be season-ending.

The 32-year-old expressed frustration over the uncertainty surrounding the injury. He reported no knee issues before Monday’s game but felt something was wrong while jogging off the field in the third inning. Despite the discomfort, he continued playing, even stealing a base in the seventh inning and scoring the game-winning run from second base on a wild pitch. An MRI on Tuesday revealed the extent of the damage.

The injury is particularly disheartening given the strong start to the season. With a .220/.325/.541 line and 10 home runs—tying him with Gunnar Henderson for the Major League lead—he was having a notable year. Additionally, his six steals indicated a renewed aggressiveness on the bases not seen in the past four seasons.

This latest setback is another blow in a series of injury woes for the outfielder and the Angels. Last year, a fractured wrist limited him to 82 games, and in 2021, a right calf issue caused him to miss 36 games. Although he played 100 games in 2022, he hasn’t reached 130 games in a season since 2019.

In light of this situation, the Angels have added veteran Kevin Pillar to their outfield, signing him to a one-year, $740,000 contract. Pillar will join Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, and Mickey Moniak as the team looks to fill the gap left by the star player’s absence.

Even as he faces uncertainty about his surgery and rehabilitation, Trout remains committed to supporting his teammates throughout his recovery.