In the 2021 MLB season, baseball fans didn’t get to see much of Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout.
The 30-year-old appeared in just 36 games all season, and while he was impressive when healthy, it was overall a lost year for him.
For that reason, Trout is certainly hoping to make a statement in the 2022 season.
So far, he’s succeeding.
The nine-time All-Star is currently on pace to have a historic year.
Doing Damage
Trout has appeared in 20 games so far this season.
To no one’s surprise, the three-time MVP is working on some monster numbers.
Trout is currently batting .324 and reaching base at a .459 clip.
He’s slugging .721 and boasts a massive OPS+ of 247.
For reference, a 247 OPS+ is 147 percent better than league average.
The veteran has clubbed six home runs, seven doubles, and one triple.
Mike Trout almost hit this THROUGH the wall 😂😂😂 Sheesh
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) April 28, 2022
Above all else, he already has a bWAR of 1.8.
This is where Trout is currently on a historic pace.
If he were to play in all of Los Angeles’ remaining games and maintain his current bWAR pace, he’d finish the regular season with an absurd bWAR of roughly 14.2.
That would put the eight-time Silver Slugger in a tie with Babe Ruth for the best single-season bWAR for a position player in MLB history.
Of course, it’s too early in the season to put a ton of stock into something like that, but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.
If nothing else, it’s clear that Trout is still playing like his vintage self.
After all, he’s always been a WAR machine, as he already has two seasons under his belt in which he posted a bWAR over 10.0.
Are The Stars Finally Aligning For The Angels?
It’s no secret that the Angels haven’t exactly capitalized on Trout’s greatness over the years.
Although the superstar has done everything in his power to get the team to the playoffs, the Angels have just one postseason appearance to their credit since his MLB debut.
The lone appearance came back in 2014, meaning the organization has gone seven straight seasons without a playoff bid.
It’s time for that to change, and with a little luck, this could be the year it happens.
The Angels are off to an impressive start, as they boast a 15-9 record so far in 2022.
That mark has them at the top of the American League West by 2.5 games.
Best records through May 1
Yankees 16-6
Mets 16-7
Dodgers 14-7
Blue Jays 15-8
Angels 15-8
Brewers 15-8
Padres 15-8— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) May 2, 2022
The calendar just flipped to May, so there’s a lot of time for things to change, but right now, Los Angeles looks like a legit playoff contender.
Baseball fans would undoubtedly love to see Trout in the postseason for the first time in years.
The New Jersey native has already checked plenty of impressive boxes in his MLB career, but if he were to add some playoff success to his resume, his legacy would get even more ridiculous.
Of course, the ultimate goal is to win a World Series, which is something Trout surely wants to accomplish before walking away from the game for good.
Ultimately, only time will tell if he’s able to do so.
NEXT: Angels Manager Shares When Shohei Ohtani Will Pitch Again