The Angels did not part with any of their controllable veterans. Guys like Tyler Anderson and Luis Rengifo, both in the midst of outstanding seasons, did not go anywhere. Even Taylor Ward, who’d be very valuable if he was on the block, is still an Angel.

As disappointing as the Angels’ deadline was, deadline day itself brought on the worst news that Angels fans could’ve imagined. Mike Trout, a player who has struggled so mightily to stay on the field, had a setback in his rehab assignment while trying to return from his torn meniscus according to Perry Minasian, the team’s general manager.

When asked if Trout will return to play this season, all Minasian said was “We’ll see.” Well, that doesn’t sound so encouraging.

Trout’s update and the Angels’ deadline day are stark reminders that the team should have traded their star center fielder as well as Shohei Ohtani.

Angels deadline day update proves that they should’ve traded Mike Trout a while ago

Trading Trout now is easier said than done. Not only has he struggled to stay healthy, but Trout is making over $37 million annually through the 2030 campaign. Not many teams would want to take Trout and all of that money while also giving the Angels a package they deem worthwhile for their franchise player. The time to have done it was years ago.

But, Trout has a full no-trade clause, so it would be up to the star himself to accept a trade. Still, maybe an honest discussion by the Angels about an actual plan may have helped lead to something.

Hindsight is obviously 20/20, but the Angels have not made the postseason since 2014 and haven’t even had a winning record since 2015. They had the star-studded duo of Trout and Ohtani for several of those years, yet couldn’t get over the hump.

The biggest reason why that is the case is because the Angels have not gone all-in in either direction. They have not gone over the luxury tax in decades despite playing in a major market and rostering two of the best players in the sport. On the other side, the Angels have not committed to a true rebuild, as evidenced by this past deadline and by their reluctance to trade Trout and Ohtani.

Had the Angels been willing to trade one or both of their franchise cornerstones, their outlook would’ve been so much different. Prospects are unpredictable, but anything is better than the status quo with this organization.

It’s unfortunate that this is what Trout’s career has come to. The Angels are obviously not to blame for his injuries, but their refusal to spend like a big-market team and go all-in on a rebuild are reasons why they have been unable to field a competent roster around him. Trout has not played in the postseason since 2014, and hasn’t won a single playoff game, and chances are, it’ll be a while until he’s back, if he does ever play another postseason game.