Trout says he wants to stay with Angels. Rendon discusses where baseball ranks on his priority list LeBron James still committed to Paris Olympics, but health remains the big key
Mike Trout discussed his future and Anthony Rendon talked about his priorities as the Los Angeles Angels stars spoke Monday when position players started workouts at spring training camps across Arizona and Florida.
Trout, a three- time MVP and 11-time All-Star who has played in only one postseason series, said he has no interest in requesting a trade as the Angels retool following two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani’s move to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 32-year-old Trout has spent his entire 13year career with the Angels and signed a $426.5 million, 12-year contract in 2019. The Angels went 73-89 last year for their eighth consecutive losing season. They haven’t reached the playoffs since 2014, when they were swept by Kansas City in the Division Series.
“I think the easy way out is to ask for a trade,” Trout told reporters, including The Athletic. “There might be a time, maybe. I really haven’t thought about this. When I signed that contract, I’m loyal. I want to win a championship here. The overall picture of winning a championship or getting to the playoffs here is the bigger satisfaction than bailing out or taking the easy way out. I think that’s been my mindset. Maybe down the road, if some things change.”
Trout says he continued to lobby owner Arte Moreno and upper management for free- agent additions that can boost the Angels following the departure of Ohtani, who signed a $700 million, 10year deal with the Dodgers.
“I’m going to keep pushing as long as I can,” Trout said. “Until the season starts or until those guys sign. It’s just in my nature.”
One big free-agent move the Angels did make in recent years was the signing of Rendon to a $245 million, seven- year deal in December 2019 as he was coming off a World
Series title with Washington. Rendon, a two-time Silver Slugger winner in seven seasons with the Nationals, hasn’t played more than 58 games in any of his four years with the Angels because of injuries.
Rendon spoke Monday about how his enthusiasm for the game has remained the same throughout his career, but he also noted that baseball has “never been a top priority for me.”
“This is a job,” Rendon told reporters. “I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job.”
Rendon noted that getting married and having four kids has changed his perspective. But he also emphasized that baseball remains a priority, even if it isn’t his top priority.
“Oh, it’s a priority for sure,” Rendon said. “Because it’s my job. I’m here, aren’t I?”
OHTANI TAKES LIVE BP
Ohtani took live batting practice for the first time this spring training as he returns from elbow surgery. The Dodgers posted video Monday of Ohtani homering.
The two- way player won’t be pitching this season after surgery on his right elbow last September, but he’s hoping to be ready for the season opener as a hitter.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Ohtani won’t play in the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener Thursday against San Diego.
MERRIFIELD SIGNS
Philadelphia finalized their signing of threetime All-Star utilityman Whit Merrifield to an $8 million, one-year contract that includes a $ 7 million salary this year and an $8 million club option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.
Merrifield, 35, batted .272 with 11 homers, 67 RBIs and 26 steals for the Toronto Blue Jays last season.
CONFIDENT YELICH
Christian Yelich remains confident Milwaukee can continue to contend even without departed ace Corbin Burnes and manager Craig Counsell.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — LeBron James still wants to participate in the Paris Olympics this summer, sure sounds like extending his NBA career for at least a couple more seasons is an option and said he would like to see his playing days end as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Of course, not even he knows if any or all of that is possible.
James played in his 20th All-Star Game on Sunday, extending his record for appearances in the NBA’s midseason showcase, but arrived with a plan to not be on the court in Indianapolis for very long because of an ongoing treatment plan for his problematic left ankle. He had eight points in 14 minutes during the first half and didn’t start the second half, giving up his spot to Golden State’s Stephen Curry.
“The most important thing for me is definitely my health,” James said.
And that will be the deciding factor in just about all of James’ basketball decisions for the rest of his career — short-term, long-term, however long he has left on his unprecedented resume. The first priority right now is the playoffs, with the Lakers currently 30-26 and ninth in the Western Conference even after winning six of their last seven games.
“We’re trending in the right direction,” James said. He is 39, having played more minutes than anyone in NBA history. If he comes back this fall for a 22nd season — and he intends to — he’ll tie Vince Carter for the NBA record in that department. He insists that he doesn’t know how long he wants to play, either.
For now, it’s all about the Lakers and their postseason push. After that, he’ll decide whether to play for USA Basketball this summer. At this point, Paris is in his plans.
“I told myself before the season, when I committed to being part of the Olympic team, obviously it was all predicated on my health,” James said. “As it stands right now, I am healthy enough to be on the team and perform at a level that I know I can perform at.”
The Olympic question is a bit tricky.
The Lakers’ season could end in April, May or June. If it ends early, James will have tons of time to heal up and get ready for a U.S. training camp that starts in early July, then will have a number of exhibition games, followed by the Olympics that will end in mid-August. But if the Lakers make a deep postseason run, it might prompt James to say he’ll value time off and getting ready for the 2024-25 NBA season over jamming another five or six weeks of basketball into his summer schedule.