Jul 12, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Mike Trout (27) watches the flight of the ball on his two-run home run during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
There was a lot of hysteria created by Bryce Harper when he first got to town when he hinted at recruiting Mike Trout to come home an play in Philadelphia at some point.
It never came to fruition, and likely won't any time soon.
Trout still has five years left on the 12-year contract he signed with the Anaheim Angels in 2019 worth $426.5 million in total.
Considering he has had one season where he's played more than 100 games since the pandemic because of myriad injuries, that would be a tough contract to trade - assuming the Angels would want to move on from arguably the best player in franchise history.
But even though he's now 33-years-old, was moved to right field this season and later bumped to designated hitter because of yet another injury (a knee), there's still a something about Trout - an aura of the greatness of his past - that leaves some in this market hoping that one day the prodigal son would return to play for his hometown team.
Mike Trout on never-ending trade speculation regarding him and the Phillies: “Oh, I see it all the time.”
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/qofI5rzZpk
"I see it all the time," Trout said, as his Angels returned to Philadelphia for a three-game series with the Phillies this weekend for the first time since 2023 - a series in which Trout didn't play because of another injury. "Especially going to Eagles games and stuff. I think just being a South Jersey kid, I'm always going to get it. Growing up, I loved Philly. These were my sports teams growing up."
The last time Trout actually played in Philadelphia goes back to June, 2022. It was the first series the Phillies played after Rob Thomson replaced Joe Girardi as manager. The Phillies swept the Angels. Trout was 0-for-11 with a walk.
That didn't stop the Philadelphia fans from giving him an ovation in each game. He got cheered each at bat. It's likely he'll get the same treatment this weekend when he plays here for the first time since.
It's unique. There are plenty of athletes from the Philadelphia area who go on to play at the highest level of their sport and don't play for a Philadelphia team who don't get the love and admiration that Trout gets on those rare occasions he plays here.
And they are rare. Aside from that series in 2022, the only other time Trout played in Philly was in May, 2014. He played in a pair of games for the Angels, went 2-for-9 with a triple, a walk and a stolen base.
Mike Trout played his first game in Philadelphia in 2014, where he received a standing ovation!
The Millville, New Jersey native returns to Citizens Bank Park tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/ARP5IJCMJb
So, why does Trout get so much love when other players do not? There aren't ovations - or even polite rounds of applause - for Zac Gallen. In the past, guys like Todd Frazier or Andrew Bailey didn't even get golf claps.
"I think playing the game the right way," Trout said. "I think that has something to do with it. I think the fans respect that. I've played the same way since I was a kid. I play hard. It doesn't matter the situation. I run hard... give (my) full potential every time. You know you can't take for granted that you can go out there and play every day."
Trout would know - considering how much time he's missed. And while he isn't the Hall of Fame panderer that Harper is to Philly fans, he does know how to stroke their ego just right, so that the applause keeps coming.
"I just respect the fan base," Trout said. "I know how I am at Eagles games and I know how they are and how they support their teams. That's how I was growing up. Just the passion they have as fans - they're faithful."
Trout has also put New Jersey baseball on the map. He's not the first player from New Jersey, nor will he be the last, but he's probably the best ball player to ever come from the state (and no, I don't want Derek Jeter arguments.)
But since Trout burst on the scene as a 20-year-old out of Millville, a lot of south Jersey kids are finding their way to the majors - using Trout as the model and trail blazer for quality baseball in a part of the country that can't compete with the Floridas and Californias of the world, where the sport can be played year-round.
Seven South Jersey high school kids were drafted this week by major league teams - three from St. Augustine Prep alone. The Phillies selected Eastern Regional High School (Voorhees) shortstop Logan Dawson in the 16th round.
The boom of quality baseball from his small part of the world is now part of Trout's legacy.
"It means a lot to me," Trout said. "It's pretty cool to have a kid come out of Jersey and have an impact."
Trout's pretty happy where he is in life. His Angels are finally somewhat competitive again. They come into the series against the Phillies a tick under .500 (47-49) but they are only four games out of a playoff spot.
They have a tough stretch of games leading up to the trade deadline that will determine if they will be buyers or sellers in two weeks. After a six game road trip against the Phillies and New York Mets, they go home for four with Seattle - the team they are chasing for that last Wild Card spot - and three with Texas, who are a half-game in front of them in the standings.
"The team in there, we have a great mindset," Trout said. "We come to the ballpark, we pull for each other, we hold each other accountable - we got a great group."
Trout isn't the .300 hitter he was for much of his career, but he's still been pretty productive for the Angels. In 70 games he's slashing .238/.365/.471 for an .836 OPS. He also has 17 homers, which would be second on the Phillies this year despite the fact that he missed 26 games.
But, he's not going to be traded. Not now anyway - even if his bat profiles as the kind the Phillies could use to bolster their flawed lineup.
That doesn't mean he doesn't think about maybe trying to play here at some point before he hangs up the cleats.
When he was asked about it, he chuckled.
"I hear it all the time," He said. "Right now, I'm enjoying myself with this team here. These guys come to the ballpark every day and play hard. (But) it's hard for me to not see it because I see it here all the time. So, yeah."
It's the slimmest of chances - and even then it would have to be at some point further down the road.
But that's why people here will continue to cheer for him. Never mind the fact that he was the best player in the sport for a decade, and maybe a generation - and he just so happens to be a Philly guy.
when someone says "mike trout is washed" 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/4k9AP1LmUC
