From 2012 to 2019, Mike Trout was the best ballplayer on the planet. He earned the moniker “face of major-league baseball.” He was the reincarnation of Mickey Mantle.

Following the pandemic, he hit a stretch that lasted through 2025, where injuries curtailed his production. He was pretty much a non-factor as one of the game’s brightest stars, giving way to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Trout’s resurgence in 2026 is welcomed by most baseball observers. He looks like the “old” Mike Trout, not because he is now 34 years old, but because he is playing like the 20-year-old who immediately emerged as a superstar at the start of his career.

From 2012 to 2019, Trout slashed .308/.422/.587 with an OPS of 1.009 and OPS+ of 178, while he averaged 9.0 WAR per year. He averaged 35 homers and 92 RBIs, with 110 runs scored. During that period, he won the AL MVP Award three times and finished as runner-up four times. His offensive statistics were the best since Barry Bonds, who won the NL MVP Award a record seven times.

In 2026, Trout is slashing .255/.419/.517, with 11 home runs and 23 RBIs. He is back on the radar as one of the game’s more productive players. He is not up to his former MVP caliber. Yet he is in the AL’s Top 10 in the following offensive categories: Wins Above Replacement, On Base Percentage (2nd), Slugging Percentage, On Base Plus Slugging, Runs Scored (2nd), Total Bases, Home Runs, Walks (2nd), OPS+, and Times on Base (2nd).

Unfortunately, Trout plays for the Los Angeles Angels, who are currently in last place once again. It is sad that a player with so much talent has only played in the postseason once, in 2014.

It is good to see Trout relevant again, even if he does not play for a contending team. Let’s hope the future Hall of Famer stays healthy for the full season and is recognized again as one of the best players in the game.