Shohei Ohtani vs Mike Trout: Angels’ Fourth Win in a Row Pushes American Out of Japanese Superstar’s Shadow

Since winning his 3rd AL MVP award in 2019, Mike Trout has stepped back as Shohei Ohtani excelled. The superstar outfielder and leader of the Los Angeles Angels saw mixed results in those years with injuries also hampering his play. But now, with Ohtani playing for the LA Dodgers, Trout looks ready to reclaim the limelight. 

Trout’s injuries have derailed what could have been some good years for the 11-time All-Star. But now, he has a second chance to cement himself as the League’s top star amidst a string of good results for the Angels. 

Can Mike Trout overshadow Shohei Ohtani this season? 

With Shohei Ohtani playing for the Dodgers, Mike Trout has another chance to show his superstar level. The Angels’ outfielder has grabbed the opportunity with both hands and started the season on a good note. Furthermore, he seems to be outplaying Shohei Ohtani at the moment. Trout has smashed 3 home runs with a .273 batting average compared to Ohtani’s lone homer and .270 batting average.

Furthermore, the Angels are on a 4-game winning streak at the moment, showing some great form. They lost their first 2 games against the Baltimore Orioles including a crushing Opening Day defeat, before closing that series with a win and sweeping the Miami Marlins 3-0. In the first game of the Miami series, Trout had a standout performance, crushing 2 home runs. 

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The Angels’ star outfielder will be looking to keep this form going and hopefully continue getting wins. Without Shohei Ohtani and after an underwhelming off-season, the expectations are low. But Trout may be the one to outperform and shine this season. 

Trout to lead the Ohtani-less Angels to the postseason? 

Despite Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani being on the same team for several years, Los Angeles hasn’t achieved team success. Their last postseason appearance was in 2014 and the team has seen losing seasons from 2016 to 2023. Now, Trout has helped them achieve a great start without Ohtani but reaching the postseason is a tough ask. A stacked AL West division will only make it more difficult as the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros look to make an impact. 

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It will be interesting to see how Trout performs as the season progresses. Will he outplay Shohei Ohtani and finally guide the Angels back to postseason glory?