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Angel for life!
Mike Trout has signed a nearly $430 million, 12-year deal to remain with the Los Angeles Angels through 2030, the team announced Wednesday.
The deal shatters the record for the largest deal in North American sports history.
“This is where I wanted to be all along,” Trout said. “I have enjoyed my time as an Angel and look forward to representing the organization, my teammates and our fans for years to come. I want to thank Arte and Carole Moreno for their efforts. Their leadership and commitment to winning played a key role in my decision. Thanks also to my teammates, coaches, John Carpino, Billy Eppler and his Baseball Operations staff, the entire front office and Angels fans for all their support. It has made a tremendous difference not only for me, but for my family as well!”
A 27-year-old outfielder entering what should be his prime years, Trout is considered baseball's top player and would have been coveted as a free agent after the 2020 season.
Trout has been an All-Star in each of his seven full seasons in the Bigs and hit .312 with 39 homers, 79 RBIs, 24 steals and 122 walks last year. He led the major leagues in OPS in each of the last two seasons and led in intentional walks last season. No player in history has put up more wins above replacement through his age-26 season than Trout's 64.3.
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Trout has a .307 average with 240 homers, 648 RBIs, 189 steals and 693 walks since making his debut in 2011. He was voted AL Rookie of the Year in 2012, won the American League MVP in 2014 and '16 and finished second in MVP voting four times, tying the record shared by Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Albert Pujols. He has finished in the top-4 of MVP voting each of the last seven seasons.
“This is an exciting day for Angels fans and every player who has ever worn an Angels uniform,” owner Arte Moreno said. “Mike Trout, an athlete whose accomplishments have placed him among the greatest baseball players in the history of the game, has agreed to wear an Angels uniform for his entire career.”
In addition to his accolades on the field, Trout is known for being one of the best faces in baseball in terms of fan interaction. Trout routinely spends time during pregame warmups signing autographs and interacting with fans on the baselines. Trout also makes frequent appearances in his hometown Millville, NJ community, at local hospitals and working with the Make-A-Wish foundation.
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During the 2018 season, Trout was under scrutiny by Commissioner Rob Manfred for not signing with as many endorsements as other star players-- scrutiny the Angels were quick to quash and show their support for the outfielder.
"We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion," the Halo's said. "That is rare in today's society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent."
Trout's total tops the new $330 million, 13-year contract between Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies, and Trout's $36 million average annual value would surpass pitcher Zack Greinke's $34.4 million in a six-year deal with Arizona that started in 2016. The contract also would best Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez's $356 million deal with sports-streaming service DAZN.
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With the signing, Trout will set a baseball record for career earnings at about $513 million, surpassing the roughly $448 million Alex Rodriguez took in with Seattle, Texas and the New York Yankees from 1994-2017.
Trout's deal supersedes the $144.5 million, six-year contract that had been set to pay him $33.25 million in each of the next two seasons.
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Los Angeles selected Trout with the 25th overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, and he signed for a bonus of $1,215,000. He made his major league debut on July 8, 2011.
The Angels will host a press conference announcing the extension Sunday at 3p.
