Mike Trout just got paid! The Los Angeles Angeles just ponied up and kept their superstar in a shocking turn of events. Trout was scheduled to become a free agent after the 2020 season but now will sign the largest contract in American Sports history. The Angels and Trout have agreed to a 12 year, $430 million extension.
Jeff Passan of ESPN was the first to report the news:
“Star center fielder Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are finalizing the largest contract in professional sports history, a 12-year deal worth more than $430 million that will smash previous records and could keep the greatest player of his generation with the Angels for the remainder of his career, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN on Tuesday.”
“The 27-year-old Trout, who has won two American League MVP awards and finished second four times, will receive an average of nearly $36 million a year, topping Zack Greinke’s previous record average of $34.4 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The $430 million-plus total is more than 30 percent larger than the $330 million deal Bryce Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on March 2 and bests boxer Canelo Alvarez’s deal with
DAZN by more than $65 million.”
Trout, 27, is widely considered one of the two best players in baseball. In 1,065 career games, he has hit .307/.416/.573 with 240 home runs, 648 RBIs, 793 runs and 189 stolen bases. Through age 26, Trout is already a 64.3 WAR player by himself. Too bad the Angels suck because he’s the only thing that is keeping them relevant.
This deal will lock Trout up through his age 38 season but this is one of the best players in the history of the sport. Can’t go wrong here. I thought all along that Trout was heading to Philadelphia. Trout grew up just 45 miles outside of Philly in South Jersey. Trout has also made appearances to Eagle and Sixer games in the past. Shocking he didn’t test free agency but I don’t blame him for taking $430 million. That’s fun coupon money.
