TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Trout is hoping his 2018 season can match a tremendous offseason: He got married, watched his beloved Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl and participated in the Angels' successful recruitment of Japanese pitcher-hitter Shohei Ohtani.Trout, who took part Monday in the team's first full-squad workout, said he tried to persuade Ohtani that the Angels were a good organization to play for "and just told him that we wanted him.""You obviously want to make a good case to get him to come here. Obviously, it worked," he said. "Talking to him and talking to his interpreter, I knew there was a shot. We wanted him. We got him."Trout found out the Angels landed Ohtani at the rehearsal dinner for his wedding in December to Jessica Tara Cox."I called some buddies, called some of my teammates," said Trout, who praised Angels general manager Billy Eppler for putting in years of work to sign Ohtani. "We were all happy."Trout, who grew up in New Jersey as an Eagles fan, said that... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani emerged from the clubhouse and tipped his cap to the swarm of Japanese countrymen capturing his every move, cameras clicking a mile a minute.He offered that signature smile, something Angels manager Mike Scioscia noticed right away and appreciates as much as his new two-way star's tremendous, "extraordinary" baseball talent.As a small group of Japanese fans cheered and waved their flag, Ohtani walked to a back field at Tempe Diablo Stadium and got to work with the rest of the pitchers and catchers on a dreary Day 1 of spring training Wednesday. His supporters all-out sprinted up the bleachers and around left field to get there for another glimpse.It quickly became far less glamorous for the down-to-earth Japanese phenomenon. As in, pretending to throw a ball before hustling to cover first base for a pitcher fielding practice drill — in the rain. He later took some cuts.Ohtani said it was a shorter day than he's used to back home."Baseball-wise on the field... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani emerged from the clubhouse and tipped his cap to the swarm of Japanese countrymen capturing his every move, cameras clicking a mile a minute.He offered that signature smile, something Angels manager Mike Scioscia noticed right away and appreciates as much as his new two-way star's tremendous, "extraordinary" baseball talent.As a small group of Japanese fans cheered and waved their flag, Ohtani walked to a back field at Tempe Diablo Stadium and got to work with the rest of the pitchers and catchers on a dreary Day 1 of spring training Wednesday. His supporters all-out sprinted up the bleachers and around left field to get there for another glimpse.It quickly became far less glamorous for the down-to-earth Japanese phenomenon. As in, pretending to throw a ball before sprinting to first base for a pitcher fielding practice drill — in the rain.Ohtani's first bullpen session was scheduled for Thursday and Scioscia said it would be this weekend or early next... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout, the best player in baseball, won't be the biggest attraction in spring training for the Los Angeles Angels.That distinction will fall to Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, who chose to sign with the Angels in December following league-wide interest and years of intrigue about the 23-year-old with a powerful right arm and productive bat from the left side of the plate.The hope is that the arrival of Ohtani, a rebuilt infield and better health from its starting pitchers can get the two-time American League MVP and the Angels back into the postseason for the first time since 2014, their only appearance in the last eight seasons.And while he won't see as much hype off the field, Trout continues to deliver on it. He hit .306 with 33 home runs, 72 RBIs and 22 stolen bases despite spending time on the disabled list for the first time in his career with a thumb injury.Here's what to watch for when the Angels arrive in Tempe, Arizona, for spring training:NEW... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Houston AstrosManager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Going campin': This team is basically set after retaining almost every key player from last season's championship squad. The two strongest areas are the middle infield, where shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve, last year's AL MVP, return to anchor the middle of the order. Correa hit .315 with 24 homers — both career highs — and Altuve had his finest season, hitting a career-best and major... [More]

CF Mike Trout went 1-for-2 in a 6-2 win against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Trout was removed for a pinch-runner in the fourth inning and finished the season with a .306 batting average, 33 home runs and 72 RBIs in 114 games.

There may not be two American League players who differ more standing side-by-side than the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve and the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge.Altuve is a diminutive 5-foot-6. Judge is a giant at 6-7. But when it comes to the AL Most Valuable Player Award, the difference could be measured in angstroms.The members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America are sending in their votes right now for all of the major 2017 awards. There are some that will be, or should be, unanimous picks.How do you not give Judge the AL Rookie of the Year? Same goes in the National League for Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both were by far at the top of their classes when all was said and done.Below is our take on the deserving winners in each race. AL MVP isn't the only white-knuckler. In the AL, the Cy Young Award race between Boston's Chris Sale and Cleveland's Corey Kluber is tight, too. In the National League, the MVP, Cy Young and Manager of the Year are all worthy of great... [More]

CF Mike Trout went 0-for-5 in a 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, but the two-time American League MVP recorded an assist at the plate with a throw from the outfield that was clocked at 94.8 mph, according to Statcast.

CF Mike Trout was 0-4 with a walk and four strikeouts in Wednesday night's loss to the Chicago White Sox. It marked just the fourth time in his career he has struck out four times in a game with the last coming in Aug. 2016. With the walk, Trout reached base in the 102nd game of the 111 he has played in this season.

CF Mike Trout clubbed a three-run homer in the second inning and now has homered in back-to-back games for the seventh time this year. All four of his hits against the White Sox in 2017 are home runs.

CF Mike Trout clubbed his 30th home run in the fifth inning on Monday and joined Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Jose Canseco and Joe DiMaggio as the only players in American League history to hit 30 home runs four or more times before their age 26 season. And with 10 more walks he'll be just seventh player in A.L. history with three 100 walk campaigns prior to their age 25 seasons, joining Mickey Mantle (four times), Frank Thomas (three times), Rickey Henderson, Eddie Yost, Charlie Keller and Ted Williams.

CF Mike Trout went 2-for-2 with two walks Thursday against Cleveland, but overall has struggled in September, hitting .246 (15-for-61) with two homers and five RBIs in 18 games. Trout, though, is still getting his walks. He has 15 in September and 88 this season, ranking third in the American League despite missing 39 games. His on-base percentage (.450) and slugging percentage (.630) are best in the league and OPS (1.080) is best in the majors. Currently his 469 plate appearances are short of the 502 required by season's end to qualify for individual statistical league crowns. But with 10 games remaining, Trout should get there.

CF Mike Trout hit his 29th home run of the season against the Rangers on Sunday and the 197th of his seven-year career. With three more home runs, Trout would become the fourth player in franchise history with at least 200 long balls.

CF Mike Trout batted leadoff against the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, the first time the two-time AL MVP filled that slot since June 13, 2013. He went 0-for-3 with a walk in the 2-0 victory.

CF Mike Trout went 1 for 4 with a single, continuing his personal trend of struggling in the last month of the season. In 13 games this September, Trout is hitting .244 (11 for 45) with one homer and two RBIs. For his career, Trout has a .278 batting average and .920 OPS in September/October, numbers that are worse for him than any other month of the season.

CF Mike Trout went 0-for-2 with a walk and hit by pitch in a 1-0 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday. Trout has reached base safely via hit or walk in 92 of his 97 games this season.

CF Mike Trout hit his 28th home run of the season Sunday, putting him one home run shy of last year's total. Trout has hit 30 or more home runs three times in his career.

CF Mike Trout had a short night Saturday, when he went 0-for-3 before taking the rest of the night off after five innings. The Angels' 8-0 deficit led to Trout exiting early.

CF Mike Trout had his streak of 14 consecutive games with a walk snapped on Friday night. Trout went 1-for-4 with a double in the loss to Seattle.

CF Mike Trout set an Angels franchise record Wednesday against Oakland when he walked for the 14th consecutive game during a 3-1 loss. Trout went 0-for-2 with two walks. Trout went 0-for-9 with five walks in the three-game series. He has 25 home runs and 61 RBIs in his career against Oakland.