After spending most of 2025 at DH, Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels outfielder, is moving back to center fielder for the 2026 season

After a brief change, this three-time MVP and 11-time all-star is going back to his original role.

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels outfielder, wants to return to the role of everyday centerfielder after a brief position change during the 2025 season, he told reporters on Feb. 16. The 34-year-old is entering his 16th MLB season.

“I just feel comfortable out there,” Trout said. “I feel like I’m at my best when I’m in center.”

Trout, who made his MLB debut in 2011, had spent the majority of his career in centerfield, but moved to right field last season in hopes it would help keep him healthy. He ended up spending most of the 2025 season as the Angels’ designated hitter.

Trout had some injury struggles from 2017 to 2019, but it has gotten significantly worse in the 2020s. He played in only 39 games in 2021 due to a calf strain, 119 games in 2022 due to a back injury, 83 games in 2023 due to a broken hamate, 29 games in 2024 due to a torn meniscus and 130 games in 2025 due to a bone bruise on his left knee.

Trout’s injury history is what kept him out of playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. For the 2023 WBC, Trout was the captain of the team as he helped lead them to the finals, where they lost to Team Japan.

In order to play in the WBC this year, players must receive insurance so that the MLB teams won’t have to pay the contract if a player were to miss time due to injury. Players who spent significant time on the injured list the previous year or have a “chronic condition” are less likely to have their contracts insured. Due to Trout’s frequent trips to the IL, he was unable to get insured, which Trout said is “disappointing.”

Despite all of these previous injury concerns, Trout said playing in center will be better on his body than playing right.

Scroll to continue reading

“I felt like when I was in center, it was less on my body than the corners,” Trout said. “To be honest, right field, I felt like I was running a lot. But it’s just like a preference thing. Talking to some other outfielders and they’re saying that they feel the same way sometimes; center is less on your legs.”

With Trout potentially moving back to center, teammate outfielder Jo Adell — who had a breakout offensive season in 2025 — would move back to a corner outfield spot. After playing four games in center in 2024, Adell played 89 games in center and 69 in right this past season.

Adell has had some success playing in a corner outfielder spot. In 2024, Adell played in 119 games in right field, where he had 6 defensive runs saved and was a Gold Glove finalist. In center field this past season, Adell was a negative defender, posting -13 DRS and -8 outs above average.

“I’m glad that he’s healthy and that he’s back and ready to roll,” Adell said. “My thought process has been any way that I can help, wherever I need to be, that’s where I’ll be. And I’m glad he’s feeling right. He’s ready to go and we’re excited about it. So, hopefully, that will work for us.”

This would also have outfielder Josh Lowe — who the Angels acquired Jan. 16 — playing left field. The Angels have yet to confirm if Trout will be the everyday center fielder, as the plan for Spring Training is to have Trout, Adell and Lowe split time in center and have Trout play a bit of the corner outfield spots to evaluate every option.

“[Trout] came up to me and he said, ‘Hey, Zuk, I’ll play wherever you need me. I’m comfortable left, right, center — wherever you need me to play,’” Angels Manager Kurt Suzuki said. “And he kind of left it as that. So we’ll keep our options open, but he does prefer center, so we’ll take a look.”