A recent comparison between Mike Trout and Jose Altuve shocked sports fans in the final category of the graphic presented by Talkin’ Baseball on Twitter. Altuve has played in 105 playoff games throughout his career, and he and Trout both made their MLB debuts in July 2011. Trout has not had the best of luck, as he’s been with the Los Angeles Angels for the entirety of his career, having only played in three playoff games.
Super Bowl Champion, Gehrig Dieter Questions Mike Trout’s Loyalty
Dieter knows something about loyalty, having played on the Kansas City Chiefs for his entire NFL career. While his career only went from 2017 to 2021, the undrafted rookie held his place on the roster for his short career.
Dieter might not be the most well-known member of the Chiefs roster from their Super Bowl LIV win, but it can never be taken away from him.
Never understood why Trout doesn’t ask for a trade https://t.co/oLZ1lJOm5z
— Gehrig Dieter (@GehrigDieter) June 23, 2025
“Never understood why Trout doesn’t ask for a trade,” Dieter commented on the graphic comparing Trout and Altuve’s MLB careers.
Remaining in Los Angeles through 2030, teams may take the wait-and-see approach on Trout’s contract. No team will want to pick up the remainder of his 12-year, $426.5 million deal as he’s been plagued with injuries throughout his career. It’s not like the Angels are one of the best teams in baseball, but here in 2025, they have a chance to make the Wild Card round.
Trout has seven hits in his last seven games, with a fantastic .271 average in June. He’s already played in nearly double the number of games than he did last year, with his average trending towards the .263 it was in 2023. His .767 OPS is currently on pace to be the lowest of his career (other than the 123 at-bats he had in his rookie season).
Dieter knows how to win, as does Trout. Knowing how long he’s been a member of the Angels organization, it would be hard for him to find a new home this late in his career. He’s still 33 years old, but with an injury-plagued career, it remains to be seen if he gets a new contract in 2030.
While he hasn’t won the AL MVP since 2019, he’s done it thrice. Trout was an All-Star in the 2023 season, an honor he’s been named to 11 times since 2012. His best seasons seem to be behind him, but no one stands in the way of Trout’s 2012 AL Rookie of the Year award, one of the nine Silver Sluggers he’s won throughout his career. At this stage in his career, loyalty is coming ahead of doing whatever it takes to win.
