Mike Trout vs. Ken Griffey Jr.: How injuries changed the arc of 2 great players

Mike Trout’s 2024 campaign is over after just 29 games, as the Los Angeles Angels announced on Thursday that the superstar outfielder is being shut down due to a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Unfortunately for Trout, this has been the theme in recent years, as a player who looked like a potential all-time great through his first nine seasons has since struggled to stay on the field.

In a lot of ways, in fact, Trout’s career arc is starting to resemble that of another phenom who was saddled by injuries in the latter part of his career — Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.

Let’s take a look.

On July 8, 2011, a 19-year-old Trout made his MLB debut with the Angels and played the bulk of the second half of the season at the big-league level. His first full season came in 2012, which is when the heroics commenced.

Trout stepped into the spotlight and put the baseball world in the palm of his hands, making absurd catches in center field, legging out extra-base hits and consistently flaunting a crisp, compact swing from the right side. He led the sport with 129 runs, 49 stolen bases and a 168 OPS+, while posting a .326/.399/.564 slash line and claiming American League Rookie of the Year honors across just 139 games.

Trout went on to total 29-plus home runs in eight consecutive seasons, 100-plus runs scored in seven of eight seasons, 100-plus walks in four of eight seasons and an OPS north of 1.000 in three seasons. He led the sport in OPS+ in four of eight seasons. In the final year of that stretch (2019), Trout had arguably the best offensive season of his career, totaling 45 home runs and 104 RBIs, while leading the sport with a .438 on-base percentage and .645 slugging percentage.

Then the injuries kicked in.

After a truncated 2020 season that saw Trout play in 53 of the Angels’ 60 regular-season games, he appeared in just 36 games in 2021 due to a calf injury. That was followed by him missing 43 games in 2022 due to a back injury. Last year, Trout essentially missed the entire second half of the season due to an elbow injury, limiting him to 82 games. And, of course, he has now been shut down after 29 games due to a knee injury.

Trout hasn’t played more than 140 games in a single season since 2016, which was just his fifth full season in the big leagues. He has also appeared in just 41 games post-All-Star break since 2021.

Enter the Griffey comparison.

The No. 1 pick in the 1987 MLB Draft, Griffey made the Seattle Mariners’ Opening Day lineup in 1989, also at the age of 19. Over the ensuing three years, he became all the more productive from the left side and one of the most feared hitters in baseball.

From 1993-2000 (1993-99 with the Mariners, 2000 with the Cincinnati Reds), Griffey blasted 40-plus home runs in seven seasons, 50-plus long balls in two seasons and led MLB in home runs four times. He also posted a slugging percentage north of .500 in 10 of 11 seasons and north of .600 in five of 11 seasons from 1991-2001.

Then the injuries hit.

Griffey appeared in just 111 games in 2001, which became the most he played in a single season until 2005, after playing no more than 83 games from 2002-04. He then appeared in just 109 games in 2006 and never appeared in more than 144 games through 2010, his final season in the league. Over that span, Griffey missed time due to a combination of knee, ankle, hamstring and shoulder injuries.

That said, Griffey still managed to hit at an All-Star-caliber level in the second half of his career, albeit not close to the MVP level he once pulled off. From 2005-07, Griffey posted 30-plus home runs and 90-plus RBIs twice, while posting an OPS above .800 in all three seasons.

Griffey finished his MLB career with 630 home runs, which currently ranks seventh in MLB history.

For perspective, here’s a look at the first and second half of both players’ careers, with yearly averages, respectively, according to FOX Sports Research:

• Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-2001): 35 home runs, 103 RBIs, 94 runs scored, 153 hits, 6 WAR, .296/.379/.566 slash line (138 games)
• Ken Griffey Jr. (2002-10): 19 home runs, 56 RBIs, 49 runs scored, 88 hits, .64 WAR, .257/.348/.477 slash line (98 games)
• Mike Trout (2012-19): 35 home runs, 92 RBIs, 110 runs scored, 162 hits, 9 WAR, .308/.422/.587 slash line (145 games)
• Mike Trout (2021-24): 19 home runs, 39 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 67 hits, 3 WAR, .276/.376/.575 slash line (66.5 games)

Trout is a three-time AL MVP, nine-time Silver Slugger and 11-time All-Star. Even with the missed time, he sports a career 86.0 WAR, good for 51st in MLB history. Meanwhile, Griffey was a one-time AL MVP, seven-time Silver Slugger, 10-time Gold Glover, a 13-time All-Star and sports a career 83.8 WAR (good for 58th in MLB history).

Sticking with the similarities, Trout has only been part of one playoff team — that being the 2014 Angels, who were swept by the eventual AL-champion Kansas City Royals in the AL Division Series despite having the best record in the sport. Griffey was part of just three playoff teams (1995, 1997, 2008).

At one point in time, Trout looked poised to make a case as the greatest player to ever step foot on a baseball field. One could argue he’s the best player of his generation over a decade’s span — like Griffey. There’s nothing that peak-Trout couldn’t do well, if not great. He hit for contact, had considerable power, superb speed, covered ground in the outfield grass and had a respectable arm. A true five-tool player.

Trout still could be considered a first-ballot Hall of Famer if he were to retire tomorrow, and there’s still time for him to climb the ranks. Heck, he hit 40 home runs over 119 games just two seasons ago and is still just halfway through a 12-year, $426.5 million deal.

All that said, injuries have substantially hampered Trout’s career. As great of a career as he has had, it’s poised to end as a “what-if?”

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