Mike Trout has not played for the Angels since July 12 due to back spasms, and it’s unclear when he will return for Los Angeles after his latest diagnosis.
Trout is dealing with costovertebral dysfunction at T5, a rare back condition. Angels head trainer Mike Frostad went into more detail to the Orange County Register’s Jeff Fletcher about what it entails.
“This is a pretty rare condition that he has right now in his back. (Dr. Robert Watkins), one of the most well-known spine surgeons in the country, if not the world, doesn’t see a lot of these,” Frostad told Fletcher. “For it to happen in a baseball player, we just have to take into consideration what he puts himself through with hitting, swinging on a daily basis just to get prepared and then also playing in the outfield, diving for balls. Jumping into the wall, things like that.”
Fletcher added this is something Trout likely will need to monitor for the remainder of his Major League Baseball career.
While that’s certainly not ideal for the 30-year-old, who’s one of the best players in baseball, it does sound like it is manageable.
Trout will be evaluated daily, per MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, and while the Angels are unsure of when he will return, they do know it won’t be Monday, when he’s eligible.
