Trout expected to return as Angels host Tigers (May 11, 2017)
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Enough already.
The Los Angeles Angels have been without Mike Trout for the past five games and six of the past seven. Not so coincidentally, they lost four of the six.
However, Trout, the reigning American League MVP, is expected back Thursday when the Angels open a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.
Trout has been dealing with a sore left hamstring, and the club has erred on the side of caution. It is only May, so there is no reason to risk the injury becoming more serious. Trout had a light workout before the Wednesday game in Oakland, going through agility drills but not pushing himself too hard.
"We're hoping that he comes out of it great (Wednesday), works out (Thursday) pregame and can play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "But we don't want to miss any steps."
The determination will be made after his workout Thursday afternoon at Angel Stadium, in which Trout will hit, take fly balls and run the bases. But as far as Trout is concerned, he is ready to go.
"I'm coming (Thursday) thinking I'm going to play," Trout said.
Trout is not used to sitting. The six games he has missed already this year are more than he missed in any of the past four seasons, when he played in 157, 157, 159 and 159. So he is itching to get back in the lineup.
"Needless to say, he wants to play," Scioscia said. "Short of begging, he wants to be out there. That decision is a medical staff decision. If it was up to us, he'd be out there."
The designated hitter spot has not been an option, according to Scioscia, even though Trout's hamstring is not affected when swinging the bat. The problem: If he hits the ball, he has to run the bases.
"We would consider it, but a hamstring is a different animal," Scioscia said. "It's tough to sit down and stay warm between DH'ing. ... (But) as far as swinging the bat, he's great."
Trout is riding a career-best, 17-game hitting streak, and he has hits in 22 of his past 23 games. During the 17-game streak, he is batting .391 (25-for-64) with five homers, six doubles, a triple, 16 runs and 11 RBIs.
If Trout does play, he will have to bat against Tigers starter Michael Fulmer, who is one of the few who have pitched well against the Angels star -- even if it's a small sample size. Trout has six plate appearances against Fulmer, going 0-for-5 with a walk and four strikeouts.
Overall against the Angels, Fulmer (3-1, 2.77 ERA) is 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA in two starts, with 12 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings.
Speaking of sore left hamstrings, Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler has missed the past five games since sustaining the injury May 3. Like Trout, Kinsler might be ready for the Thursday game.
"Well, initially we thought it was going to be just three or four days," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told MLB.com. "And when we got to five days, which was (Tuesday), we felt like we could DL him. But we could only backdate him three days. That meant he would have had to sit out another week.
"We just felt like he was going to be ready much sooner than that. ... So it's probably good we didn't put him on the 10-day DL."
The Angels will start JC Ramirez, who is settling nicely into a starting role after moving from the bullpen to replace the injured Garrett Richards. In his past two starts, Ramirez (3-2, 3.74 ERA) has given up a total of two runs and six hits in 12 1/3 innings, striking out 16 and walking four.
In his career against Detroit, Ramirez has a 2.70 ERA in two relief appearances.
