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Clips

(July 19, 2017)

July 19, 2017 Page 2 of 28

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 4)

Nationals edge Angels in showdown between Bryce Harper and Mike Trout

Alex Meyer, back from triple-A Salt Lake, will start for Angels against Washington

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 7)

Mike Trout-Bryce Harper duel ends in painful loss for Angels as Cameron Maybin is

hurt

Angels Notes: Team is watching catcher Martin Maldonado’s workload

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10)

Trout, Maldonado homer but Halos fall to Nats

Maybin out 2-4 weeks with sprained knee

Harper, Trout live up to hype in rare matchup

Meyer, Angels look to split with Nationals

Skaggs closer to return after first rehab start

Mike Trout and Bryce Harper kicked off their showdown with a game of homer H-O-R-

S-E

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 17)

Harper gets 4 hits to win Trout duel, Nats beat Angels 4-3

Angels' Cameron Maybin sprains knee in awkward slide

Nationals' Gonzalez looks to stay hot against Angels

FROM ESPN.COM (Page 21)

The biggest difference between Trout and Harper isn't ability

AL steals leader Cameron Maybin helped off with sprained MCL after awkward slide

July 19, 2017 Page 3 of 28

FROM NBC SPORTS (Page 23)

Bryce Harper and Mike Trout traded home runs. Harper kept going

FROM USA TODAY SPORTS (Page 24)

Mike Trout has been so much better than Bryce Harper that it's silly to keep

comparing them

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (Page 25)

Here’s how much Mike Trout could have made in free agency this winter

FROM SB NATION (Page 28)

Bryce Harper hit a home run, then Mike Trout one-upped him in the same inning

July 19, 2017 Page 4 of 28

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES

Nationals edge Angels in showdown between Bryce Harper and Mike Trout

By Pedro Moura

The opening salvo seared through the Orange County evening. Five minutes into Tuesday’s series

opener between the Angels and Washington Nationals at Angel Stadium, Bryce Harper crushed an

opposite-field homer over Mike Trout’s head. Thirteen minutes later, Trout announced his response by

slamming one 40 feet farther.

“When it went over the fence,” Trout said, “I thought it was pretty funny.”

In its first, spirited inning, the series proved to be exactly what it had been hyped to be: Harper versus

Trout, a young superstar showcase.

“It’s just fun when we’re both on the field,” Trout said. “You don’t get to see that often.”

For the next eight innings, Tuesday’s events resembled a more routine ballgame, played by 27 men, with

the more talented team victorious. Washington won 4-3.

Even discounting Harper, who nearly hit for the cycle, Washington doubled the Angels’ hit total. Four

Nationals logged multi-hit games, which no Angel managed.

In between power displays, the Angels’ Cameron Maybin suffered a right knee sprain while attempting

to steal second base. On his way, he thought he heard contact. He looked up, detected no contact, and

realized he had to slide. It was too late. His descent to the ground was uncomfortable, and he

immediately called for a team trainer. After testing, he was helped off of the field, and the safe call on

his attempted steal was reversed.

One hour later, the Angels pulled veteran outfielder Shane Robinson from their triple-A affiliate’s game.

On Wednesday, he is expected to take over for Maybin, who will be put on the 10-day disabled list with

a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his knee.

“It was just an awkward play,” Maybin said. “Unfortunate, but I’m glad the results are as good as they

could’ve been.”

After Trout’s blast, the Angels’ next hit came in the sixth inning, when starter Edwin Jackson (1-0) had

retired 13 consecutive Angels. Martin Maldonado aimed a leadoff shot just inside the left-field foul pole

for a go-ahead homer.

After Harper’s shot, starter Jesse Chavez scattered five singles over the next five innings and entered the

seventh inning having thrown only 73 pitches. His 75th was a 90-mph fastball over the inside part of the

plate. Anthony Rendon uppercut it beyond both bullpens for a score-tying shot.

July 19, 2017 Page 5 of 28

Six pitches later, Adam Lind shot a single into right field and Scioscia came for Chavez. Blake Parker

worked out of the inning.

Other Angels relievers faltered. In for the eighth inning, Cam Bedrosian surrendered a triple to Harper

and a run-scoring single to Ryan Zimmerman. In the ninth inning, Lind pounded a hanging slider from

rookie right-hander Keynan Middleton for the winning homer.

Washington sent in newly acquired right-hander Ryan Madson for the bottom of the eighth inning. Four

years ago, the Angels brought in Madson and fellow Nationals reliever Joe Blanton to stabilize a shaky

pitching staff. Madson never pitched and Blanton wasn’t effective.

Several teams later, both are back in Anaheim as Nationals, and Madson handled Tuesday’s eighth

inning with ease.

Sean Doolittle, the other new National acquired from the Oakland Athletics, recorded a rocky save in the

ninth inning, after a double and a walk meant Trout stepped to the plate with one out and runners on

third base and second base. Although Trout’s on-base-plus-slugging percentage is roughly 500 points

greater than Albert Pujols’, the next Angel due up, Nationals manager Dusty Bakerelected to face Trout.

“Well, I’ve been beaten by Pujols more than I’ve been beaten by Trout,” Baker said. “Know what I

mean?”

Trout swung at the first pitch and produced a run-scoring groundout. Pujols then flied out harmlessly to

right.

Again, the Angels could not produce the necessary hit to win the game or send it to extra innings. Their

offense has repeatedly come up short this season. Six hours earlier, Scioscia had spoken in certain terms

about his dismay with his position players’ performance.

“This is not what we expected from our offense,” he said before Tuesday’s game. “We’re woefully shy

on pressuring teams the way we need to.”

Alex Meyer, back from triple-A Salt Lake, will start for Angels against Washington

By Pedro Moura

The Angels opted to extend their starting rotation back to the standard five sooner than their schedule

required. Right-hander Alex Meyer arrived in Anaheim on Tuesday, and he will start Wednesday against

Washington, the team that once drafted him.

After Meyer lost a start earlier this month in Minnesota, the Angels demoted him to triple-A Salt Lake,

citing the space provided by their schedule this month and a need for him to work on unspecified things.

Meyer, 27, made one start for Salt Lake and allowed four runs in five innings. He walked two and struck

out seven. In his 12 big league starts this season, walks have consistently been Meyer’s undoing.

July 19, 2017 Page 6 of 28

The Angels do not need a fifth starter until July 29, but their manager, Mike Scioscia, hinted over the

weekend that he would use one before then.

Veteran right-hander Ricky Nolasco had been scheduled to start Wednesday. Instead, the Angels will

supply him with two extra days of rest for his Friday start against Boston. And fellow right-handers JC

Ramirez and Parker Bridwell will receive the same additional rest before they start over the weekend.

Skaggs’ schedule

In his first game action since April 28, left-hander Tyler Skaggsthrew 3 2/3 innings on Monday in the

Arizona League. Recovered from his oblique strain, Skaggs struck out six and did not walk anyone.

Next, he’ll start Saturday for Salt Lake and attempt to complete four innings. Scioscia said Skaggs will

then require at least one more start before he pitches for the Angels, meaning he won’t return until

August at the earliest.

Back in Anaheim on Tuesday, Skaggs said he felt fine.

Shoemaker’s status

Right-hander Matt Shoemaker has not yet been cleared to start throwing. Though he said Tuesday that

he is feeling better, the state of his posterior interosseous nerve syndrome is such that he can still feel

where the nerve is compressed in his right forearm.

Asked if he felt that he could resume throwing any day now, Shoemaker said, yes, “100%.” But he

understands the condition could return after he is asymptomatic.

“Last time it happened, we didn’t do anything wrong and it just came back,” he said. “So I think we’re a

little more cautious now, which is really frustrating, because I just want to get out there and pitch.”

Short hops

Right-hander Garrett Richards (biceps nerve irritation) continues to play catch. He was cleared Friday to

throw for the first time since April 5. Scioscia said he is still taking “baby steps.” … Reliever Huston

Street has not yet thrown since a groin strain forced him to the disabled list two weeks ago Wednesday.

He initially expected to be back in the majors by now. … The Major League Baseball Players Assn.

selected shortstop Andrelton Simmons as the Angels’ winner for the annual Heart and Hustle Award. He

had previously won it while with Atlanta.

July 19, 2017 Page 7 of 28

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mike Trout-Bryce Harper duel ends in painful loss for Angels as Cameron Maybin is hurt

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Years from now, those who watched the Angels game against the Washington Nationals on

Tuesday night are going to remember two first-inning swings.

For now, the Angels are more focused on the slide in between.

A game that was billed as a duel between Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, and began with each homering in

the first, ended up being a painful loss for the Angels. They not only dropped a 4-3 decision to the

Washington Nationals but also lost another player to injury.

After Harper’s homer, and before Trout’s answer, Cameron Maybin suffered a grade 1 sprain of his right

medial collateral ligament on a slide into second. He is expected to be out two to four weeks.

“It (stinks),” Trout said, “but it seems like we’ve been dealing with it the whole season.”

Maybin will head to the disabled list for the second time this season, adding to a lengthy list of injuries that

have put a damper on the Angels season. The biggest injury was when Trout tore a ligament in his thumb,

which prompted more discussion of the dangers of head-first slides.

Ironically, Maybin usually slides head first, but he got hurt going feet first.

After he reached on a first-inning infield hit, he took off for second, trying to add to his league-leading 25

stolen bases. As he got close to the bag, though, he slowed down because he thought he heard the crack

of the bat.

Once he realized the ball wasn’t hit, but was instead headed to second, he made a late, awkward attempt

at a feet-first slide. He immediately felt something “pop,” he said, and he called for trainers.

Maybin was helped off the field, and underwent an MRI that showed the extent of the injury. When he

spoke to the media later, he was in good spirits and able to walk under his own power.

“It’s unfortunate, but the I’m glad the results are probably the best they could have been,” Maybin said.

“I’m hoping it’s closer to two weeks. I’m a pretty quick healer. You just gotta be positive. Stay mentally

ready to get back.”

While Maybin is out, expect Ben Revere to get the bulk of the playing time in left field, at least against

right-handers. Shane Robinson, who was pulled from the Triple-A Salt Lake City game shortly after

Maybin’s injury, could be coming up to play against left-handed pitchers. Robinson had hit .464 in his last

15 games at Triple-A, prior to Tuesday.

July 19, 2017 Page 8 of 28

The injury also could impact what the Angels could do before the July 31 trading deadline. Maybin would

have been one of the more attractive assets the Angels had to trade, although the return still would have

been limited since he’s a free agent at the end of the season.

Not long after Maybin was helped off the field, the focus of the night returned to Harper-Trout, which

added an air of excitement to the game. The two young stars rarely share the same field, playing in

different leagues and on different coasts.

Harper definitely won this battle.

He belted a first-inning homer against Jesse Chavez. Trout then answered in the bottom of the first, with

his own homer, sending social media buzzing about the duel.

“Obviously, when I hit it, I thought it was pretty funny,” Trout said.

Harper, however, kept going.

He singled in the third, getting narrowly thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. He singled

again in the sixth and then tripled to lead off the eighth, meaning he barely missed hitting for the cycle.

His eighth-inning triple against Cam Bedrosian set up the tie-breaking run, on Ryan Zimmerman’s RBI

single.

“He’s a terrific ballplayer,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “If you make your pitches, hopefully you’re going

to contain him. It seemed like every time we didn’t get a pitch in a spot tonight, he hit it.”

The Angels may not have to worry about Harper on Wednesday night. Nationals manager Dusty Baker said

Harper is scheduled for a day off, since he played in the All-Star Game and didn’t get that break.

The rest of the Nationals’ lineup is still a challenge. They came into the night second in the majors in

scoring.

Jesse Chavez held them at bay for much of the night, allowing just Harper’s homer and an Anthony Rendon

solo homer in his six-plus innings. The Nats added an insurance run on Adam Lind’s homer in the ninth

against Keynan Middleton, who has allowed 11 runs in his last 16 2/3 innings.

That run proved to be the difference, because the Angels got one back in the ninth against new Nats

reliever Sean Doolittle. Trout drove in the run with a groundout, before Albert Pujols hit a flyout to end the

game.

Angels Notes: Team is watching catcher Martin Maldonado’s workload

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Add Martin Maldonado to the list of Angels who are moving, as Mike Scioscia frequently says,

“into uncharted waters.”

July 19, 2017 Page 9 of 28

The Angels catcher was in the lineup Tuesday to play his 79th game of the season behind the plate, the

most in the major leagues. Before this season, Maldonado had never caught more than 74 games in a

season.

Scioscia, a former catcher, said he and the staff have been watching closely to look for signs that

Maldonado is getting worn down, just as they do with starting pitchers approaching career-highs in

innings.

“The first thing is the mental strain on the catcher,” Scioscia said. “That gets to you before the physical

strain. Some catchers will start to take some shortcuts or get a little lazy in how they present the target.

We’ve seen none of that with Martin. He’s been on point every pitch. He never takes a pitch off. From that

aspect, he’s holding up very well.”

One of the reasons Maldonado has caught so much is that he’s earned the playing time with his

performance, behind the plate and at the plate.

Offensively, though, Maldonado has slumped lately. He had hit .169 over his last 17 games, heading into

Tuesday’s game. For the season, his .702 OPS is still playable, for a catcher.

“The schedule is very demanding, but he’s holding up very well,” Scioscia said.

SKAGGS UPDATE

Tyler Skaggs rejoined the Angels for an evaluation following Monday night’s outing in the Arizona League,

which was Skaggs’ first game since he strained his oblique in April.

Skaggs said he felt good a day after the 3 2/3-inning performance. Scioscia said he’ll next move to Triple-A

for a four-inning outing on Saturday. He will pitch at least once more after that, and then be re-evaluated,

Scioscia said.

If he needs only those two more minor league outings, the soonest he could rejoin the Angels rotation

would be the first week of August.

MEYER RETURNS

Alex Meyer will start Wednesday, returning to the rotation after a brief demotion to Triple-A. The Angels

sent him down partly because of the All-Star break and partly because they wanted him to work on some

things. Meyer pitched once at Triple-A, allowing three earned runs in five innings.

The Angels had gone with just four starters since Meyer was sent down. Scioscia said this looked to be a

good time to re-insert Meyer and provide some extra rest for the other starters. All three starters over the

weekend against the Boston Red Sox — Ricky Nolasco, JC Ramirez and Parker Bridwell — will be pitching

on six days rest.

July 19, 2017 Page 10 of 28

ALSO

Huston Street said there is “nothing new” on his rehab from a strained groin. Although Street had said

before the All-Star break that he expected to be back by now, he still has not thrown. …

Matt Shoemaker said he can feel improvement in the nerve issue that has sidelined him. He is hoping to be

cleared to resume throwing any day…

Andrelton Simmons was named the Angels’ winner of the “Heart and Hustle Award.” The Players’ Assn.

selects one player from each team for this award. Simmons also won twice as a member of the Atlanta

Braves.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Trout, Maldonado homer but Halos fall to Nats

By Jamal Collier and Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- On a night when so much of the action centered around two of baseball's biggest stars, it

seemed only fitting that one of them would be the driving force behind the final outcome.

Bryce Harper and Mike Trout traded first-inning solo shots, but Harper ultimately topped his American

League rival by going 4-for-4 and scoring the go-ahead run in the Nationals' 4-3 win over the Angels in

Tuesday night's series opener at Angel Stadium.

"He's a tough out because he doesn't give in," Angels starter Jesse Chavez said of Harper. "He knows his

strengths, he knows his weaknesses, and he doesn't chase his weaknesses. That's a sign of a good hitter,

and that's what Trouty does as well. Tonight he was able to get the four hits and kind of was our

Achilles' heel."

Harper, who was a double shy of hitting for the cycle, led off the eighth with a triple off Cam

Bedrosian and scored on Ryan Zimmerman's single to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead. Adam Lind added an

insurance run with a solo homer in the ninth, and newly acquired relievers Ryan Madson and Sean

Doolittle sealed the victory by pitching the final two innings in their Nationals debuts.

The Angels pulled within one in the ninth after Ben Revere scored on Trout's groundout, but Doolittle

coaxed a flyout from Albert Pujols to end the game and notch his first save with his new team.

"I promise they won't all be like that," Doolittle said with a smile.

Right-hander Edwin Jackson, who made his first start in place of the injured Joe Ross, allowed two runs

over seven innings in the debut of his second tour with the Nationals. The Angels mustered only three

hits against Jackson, though two were solo home runs, by Trout in the first and Martin Maldonado in the

July 19, 2017 Page 11 of 28

sixth. Jackson was also efficient in his outing, needing just 91 pitches to complete seven innings and he

did not issue a walk.

"My biggest thing has always been walks, walks, walks, behind in the count and walks and then you get a

big hit," Jackson, who will receive another start in the Nats rotation, said. "I've just been trying to focus

on coming out and putting an attack on hitters and make them put the ball in play."

Chavez yielded two runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out five over six-plus innings in his

first start in 10 days. Chavez's lone blips were solo homers, to Harper in the first and a game-tying blast

Rendon in the seventh.

The Halos' loss was further sullied by the premature exit of left fielder Cameron Maybin, who suffered a

Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee while attempting to steal second base in the first inning. Maybin is

expected to miss two to four weeks, according to the Angels.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Harper 1, Trout 1: The marquee matchup between the two MVP outfielders didn't disappoint. In the top

of the first, Harper opened the scoring by blasting a solo home run that sailed over Trout's head and

cleared the fence in left-center field. Not to be outdone, Trout countered with a solo shot of his own in

the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 1. Trout's blast, his first since coming off the disabled list

last week, traveled an estimated 448 feet and marked his longest home run since September 2015,

according to Statcast™.

"When I hit and it went over the fence, I thought it was pretty funny," Trout said.

Rendon ties it: Maldonado briefly gave the Angels a 2-1 lead with his solo homer in the sixth, but

Rendon evened the game by belting his 20th home run of the season in the seventh. Rendon crushed an

0-1 fastball from Chavez, sending the ball sailing over both bullpens in left field.

"I thought the pitch up to Rendon was a good one," Chavez said, "but wrong situation."

Angels threaten in the ninth: The Angels tested the Nationals' new-look bullpen by mounting a

dangerous rally against Doolittle in the ninth. With Revere on first and one out, Kole Calhoun doubled

off the wall in right field, putting runners on second and third for the Angels. That brought up Trout,

who knocked in Revere with a first-pitch groundout to trim the Nationals' lead to 4-3. Still, the Angels

ultimately fell short, as Doolittle then worked out of the jam by getting Pujols to fly out to left field for

the final out of the game.

QUOTABLE

"I'm out here to cherish every moment. I've been through my ups, I've been through my downs. I've

been in Triple-A. I've had people asking me why am I still here? Why am I still playing? I've made some

money in the game. Why don't I just go home and enjoy the family? But I still feel like I have something

in the tank." -- Jackson, on getting another opportunity in the Majors

July 19, 2017 Page 12 of 28

"He's a great player, of course, two-time MVP, comes out and plays hard every single day. He's a talent

that comes around once in a lifetime. He's must-watch TV, always. To be able to see him and what he's

done out here is very impressive. But there's a lot of young guys in this game. It's going in the right

direction. I'm excited to see how it goes in the future." -- Harper, on Trout

"It's fun when we're on the field. You don't get to see it often. He's on the East Coast, but when we play

each other, it's a fun battle. He brings 100 percent to the field every day, and when he's locked in, he's

obviously fun to watch." -- Trout, on Harper

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Harper came flying out of the box after tripling in the eighth and reached third in 11.28 seconds,

marking the fastest triple by a Nationals player this season.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Maybin was initially called safe after attempting to steal second in the bottom of the first, but the

Nationals issued a challenge after Maybin appeared to come off the base as Wilmer Difo applied the tag.

Maybin was called out following a replay review.

In the top of the third, Harper lined a two-out single to left field, but he was thrown out at second by

former Nationals teammate Ben Revere after trying to stretch the hit into a double. Washington

challenged the call, but the ruling was confirmed, ending the inning. Harper had already homered and

would later single again and triple, so Revere's throw prevented Harper from hitting for the cycle.

WHAT'S NEXT

Nationals: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez will take the mound as the Nationals close out this two-game series

Wednesday night at 10:07 p.m. ET Angel Stadium. In his first start out of the break, he picked up where

he left off after a stellar first half, throwing 8 1/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

Angels: Right-hander Alex Meyer (3-5, 4.18 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to face the

Nationals in Wednesday's series finale at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Meyer has ties to Washington,

as he was the Nationals' first-round Draft pick in 2011.

Maybin out 2-4 weeks with sprained knee

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Left fielder Cameron Maybin departed the Angels' 4-3 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday after

suffering a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee in the bottom of the first inning at Angel Stadium. The

Angels expect him to miss two to four weeks.

Maybin led off the inning with an infield single and then attempted to steal second base, but he injured

the knee while sliding feet-first into the bag. Maybin said he slowed down as he approached second

because he thought he heard contact and tried to look for the ball. Once he realized there was no

contact, Maybin tried to go into a late slide, but his right leg got caught underneath his body, spraining

the ligament in his knee.

July 19, 2017 Page 13 of 28

"As soon as I slid, I felt like a little pop, and I was just kind of uneasy about it," Maybin said. "Just an

awkward play."

Maybin, who was called out at second following a replay review, immediately motioned for the team

trainer and had to be helped off the field, though he was walking without crutches in the clubhouse

after the game.

"It's unfortunate, but I'm glad that the results are probably the best that they could have been," Maybin

said. "I'm hoping that it's closer to the two weeks. I'm a pretty quick healer. Just got to be positive and

stay mentally ready to get back and continue to help this team out."

Maybin, 30, is batting .238 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 74 games for the Angels this season and

has been a key offensive catalyst atop the lineup. Maybin's injury could also have Trade Deadline

implications for the Angels, as he had emerged as the club's most valuable trade chip in recent weeks.

Ben Revere, who replaced Maybin in left field on Tuesday, will likely draw the majority of starts at the

position in the interim. The Angels also pulled outfielder Shane Robinson from his game with Triple-A

Salt Lake, though no official roster move is expected until Wednesday. Robinson had entered Tuesday

hitting .464 over his last 15 games at Triple-A.

Harper, Trout live up to hype in rare matchup

Both hit first-inning home runs; Bryce goes 4-for-4

By Jamal Collier / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Meetings on the field between this pair of generational talents are rare. Because they are

separated by different coasts and different leagues they do not often share the same stage.

The Nationals' 4-3 victory Tuesday night was just the second time they even shared the same field

during the regular season. And it is because of performances such as this that Bryce Harper and Mike

Trout are perhaps destined to be linked together their entire careers.

Harper and Trout began the game by trading solo home runs in the first inning at Angel Stadium, trading

blows as if not wanting to be outdone by the other. Harper won this baseball version of H-O-R-S-E,

finishing the night 4-for-4 and just inches away from hitting for the cycle. Trout hit his longest home run

since September 2015, but it was his only hit in four at-bats.

"It's fun when we're on the field," Trout said. "You don't get to see it often. He's on the East Coast, but

when we play each other, it's a fun battle. He brings 100 percent to the field every day, and when he's

locked in, he's obviously fun to watch."

Their most recent matchup was back in April 2014, back when neither had won an MVP Award. Now

they have already accomplished so much during their young careers and are perhaps the two biggest

stars in baseball.

July 19, 2017 Page 14 of 28

Harper is a five-time All-Star, won the 2012 National League Rookie of the year Award and was the 2015

NL MVP. Trout is a six-time All-Star, the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and has already won two AL MVP

Awards -- in 2014 and '16. If Trout is widely recognized as the best player in baseball, Harper is the

leading candidate for No. 2.

"He's a great player," Harper said. "Of course, two-time MVP, comes out and plays hard every single day.

He's a talent that comes around once in a lifetime. He's must-watch TV, always. To be able to see him

and what he's done out here is very impressive."

Harper struck first in the top of the first, homering off right-hander Jesse Chavezover Trout's head in

center field. The hit extended Harper's hitting streak to 13 games, matching a career best.

Trout answered in the bottom of the inning, by crushing a solo homer of his own to left-center field at a

projected distance of 448 feet, as tracked by Statcast™, off right-hander Edwin Jackson. It was Trout's

first home run since being activated off the disabled list last week.

The two chatted at second base during a third-inning review of Harper's slide into second while trying to

stretch a two-out single into a double. He was called out and the call would stand after the Nationals'

challenge. The play would loom large later in the game, after Harper collected a pair of singles and then

tripled in the eighth inning -- going from first to home in 11.28 seconds, the fastest triple for the Nats

this season. It would leave him just a few inches shy of the cycle.

Harper seemed to play with some extra intensity Tuesday night, but he insisted that he felt no extra

motivation for this matchup with Trout. Instead, he extended himself knowing that he and Nationals

manager Dusty Baker had agreed to give him the day off during Wednesday night's series finale.

"We're friends on the field," Trout said. "I don't really know him that well, but, obviously, you play with

him and you be compared to each other -- we see each other when we play each other."

Now they'll wait until next time.

Meyer, Angels look to split with Nationals

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

The Nats will send Gio Gonzalez to mound when they go for a second straight win at Angel Stadium

Wednesday night in the finale of the two-game Interleague set. The Angels will counter with right-

hander Alex Meyer, who will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his first start of the second half.

In Gonzalez's first start following the All-Star break, the left-hander garnered a winning decision after

firing 8 1/3 scoreless innings against Cincinnati last Friday, lowering his ERA to 2.66 -- the fourth-lowest

mark in the Major Leagues.

Meyer, whose return to the rotation pushes Ricky Nolasco to Friday, won't have to worry about Bryce

Harper. The star right fielder will get a scheduled day off after going 4-for-4 with a home run and a triple

in the Nationals' 4-3 win on Tuesday.

July 19, 2017 Page 15 of 28

Things to know about this game

• Gonzalez -- who pitched for the Angels' division-rival A's from 2008-11 -- has made 11 career starts

against the Halos, going 7-2 with a 2.62 ERA.

He last faced them Sept. 23, 2011, allowing one run on three hits and two walks against five strikeouts

over 7 1/2 innings.

• According to Statcast, Meyer's average velocity of 96.1 mph on his four-seam fastball ranks third

among starters who have thrown at least 300 four-seamers this season. However, his strike rate of 58.9

percent is the fifth-lowest among those with at least 1,000 total pitches.

• Wednesday will mark the first time Meyer faces the Nationals, who selected him 23rd overall during

the 2011 Draft. He was traded by the Nats to the Twins in November 2012 for Denard Span. The Angels

acquired Meyer and Nolasco from the Twins in exchange for Hector Santiago and prospect Alan

Busenitz.

In two Interleague starts this season, Meyer is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA.

Skaggs closer to return after first rehab start

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Left-hander Tyler Skaggs moved a little closer to rejoining the Angels' rotation after coming

out of his first rehab start on Monday without issue.

Skaggs, who returned to game action for the first time since suffering a right oblique strain in April,

allowed two runs on two hits while walking none and striking out six over 3 2/3 innings in a start for the

Halos' Arizona League affiliate.

"[His] velocity was about what we expected," manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday. "Got the pitch count

where he needed to be. More importantly, he came out of it feeling really good."

Scioscia said Skaggs' rehab assignment will now shift to Triple-A Salt Lake, where he is expected to pitch

four innings on Saturday. The 26-year-old southpaw will need at least two more Minor League outings

before he's ready to be activated off the disabled list, according to Scioscia.

"I think after his next couple, we'll have an idea of where he is," Scioscia said.

Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who was shut down from throwing on July 7 after being diagnosed with

posterior interosseous nerve syndrome, is also improving, though he still has not been cleared to begin a

throwing progression. While Shoemaker said he still feels "minimal symptoms" in his right forearm, he's

optimistic that he could receive clearance in the coming days.

"From what it sounds like, we just want to be as symptom-free as possible before we start throwing,"

Shoemaker said.

July 19, 2017 Page 16 of 28

Simmons honored with Heart and Hustle Award

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons was named the Angels' recipient of the 2017 Heart and Hustle Award on

Tuesday by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. The honor is voted on by former

players and awarded each year to the active player who most represents a passion for baseball and best

embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game.

"I think Andrelton is a great nominee," Scioscia said. "I think all the subtleties that he brings that we see

are as important as the spectacular plays that fans see. I think he makes everybody better. His head is

always in the game. He's never taking a pitch off. He's one of the reasons we're excited about our

future."

Each Major League team submitted a nominee for the national award, which will be announced Nov. 14

at the 18th annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York.

Worth noting

• Right-hander Alex Meyer will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday to start against the

Nationals, the team that made him a first-round Draft pick in 2011. Meyer was sent down before the All-

Star break after surrendering five runs over five innings against the Twins on July 3.

Ricky Nolasco, who had been penciled in to start on Wednesday, will pitch on Friday against the Red Sox

instead.

• Right-hander Huston Street, who has been sidelined since July 5 with a right groin strain, still has not

been cleared to resume throwing.

Mike Trout and Bryce Harper kicked off their showdown with a game of homer H-O-R-S-E

By Andrew Mearns

The game of H-O-R-S-E is no stranger to basketball fans. Players take turns shooting for the basket from

different positions, and it's all about matching successful shots. Here's NBA star Steph Curry playing

against his father, Dell, a former player himself:

The game is fun, but at first, it doesn't seem like it has anything to do with baseball. Or does it?

Tuesday night in Anaheim featured a showdown of two of the game's greatest players -- Bryce

Harper and Mike Trout. They aimed to do the improbable and find a way to make a baseball version of

H-O-R-S-E.

Just like the Currys, each star launched a shot. They didn't waste any time, either, as Harper homered

over Trout's head to open the scoring in the top of the first:

Not to be deterred, Trout answered right back in the bottom half with a long ball of his own:

July 19, 2017 Page 17 of 28

Challenge met.

Who knows exactly what kind of scoring Harper and Trout are working with here, but for what it's

worth, Harper got hits in each of his next three at-bats during the Nationals' 4-3 win, while Trout was

blanked for the rest of the night. So perhaps the 2015 NL MVP has the early edge.

Fortunately for baseball fans, they have another game coming up Wednesday night and two more back

on Harper's home turf at Nationals Park in August. They're just getting started.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Harper gets 4 hits to win Trout duel, Nats beat Angels 4-3

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Bryce Harper hit a long, impressive homer over Mike Trout's head the first inning. A

few minutes later, Trout hit a homer of similar length and impressiveness.

About three hours after that, the Washington Nationals finished off another win and Harper wrapped up

another enormous performance during a meeting of two superstars.

Harper went 4 for 4, and he tripled and scored on Ryan Zimmerman's tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth

inning of the Nationals' sixth straight victory, 4-3 over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Harper and Trout traded first-inning homers, but Harper won the duel with another spectacular

offensive game in his 24-for-51 July. He barely missed hitting for the cycle when he was out by a few

millimeters at second while trying to stretch a single in the third inning.

Trout went 1 for 4 with an RBI groundout in the ninth as the Angels rallied against new Washington

reliever Sean Doolittle, who got a hairy save. Trout's homer was his first since his return from the

disabled list.

"Trout is a great player, one of the best players in the game," Harper said. "I think this game is filled with

a lot of young talent, and a lot of fans love baseball because of that reason."

Anthony Rendon hit a tying homer in the seventh for Washington, and Adam Lind added a ninth-inning

homer.

Harper and Zimmerman got back-to-back hits off Cam Bedrosian (2-2) to push the NL East leaders to

their 10th win in 12 games.

Harper extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and Rendon got a hit in his 12th straight game. Both tied

the longest streaks of their careers.

Martin Maldonado also homered for the Angels, who have lost eight of 11.

July 19, 2017 Page 18 of 28

ROUGH LANDING

The Angels rallied in the ninth when Ben Revere advanced to third on Kole Calhoun's double off the

right-field wall and then scored on Trout's grounder.

But Doolittle got Albert Pujols on a meek fly to left to end it.

Washington manager Dusty Baker decided to pitch to Trout with first base open, and his club survived.

"I've been beaten by Albert Pujols more than I've been beaten by Trout," Baker said in explaining his

decision. "It worked. That's not my ideal situation, to have to choose between Trout and Pujols.

Sometimes you take a shot and win."

NEW GUYS

Relievers Ryan Madson and Doolittle made their Washington debuts after arriving in a trade with

Oakland on Sunday. Madson pitched a perfect eighth before Doolittle's adventure.

"I think you could tell there was a little bit of nerves in the beginning," Doolittle said. "Fortunately I was

able to manage it. ... I promise they won't all be like that."

BIG START

Edwin Jackson (1-0) pitched seven innings of stellar three-hit ball in his first appearance in five years for

the Nationals, who recalled him before the game.

"It felt good coming over here with a fresh start," said Jackson, who retired 13 straight Angels at one

point. "I'm out here to cherish every moment."

Jackson began the season with Baltimore before signing with Washington as a minor league free agent

one month ago. The well-traveled right-hander went 10-11 for the Nats in 2012, but pitched for five

clubs before rejoining Washington and then getting this spot start when Joe Ross got hurt.

Jesse Chavez kept pace with Jackson for Los Angeles, pitching into the seventh.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: OF Jayson Werth told reporters he has a broken bone in his left foot, rather than a bruise. He

played with a hairline fracture in his toe earlier in the year, but this injury has kept him out for six weeks.

He is already participating in baseball activities.

Angels: OF Cameron Maybin left the game in the first inning after he sprained a ligament in his right

knee while sliding awkwardly into second base. "I'm glad that the results are probably the best that they

could have been," Maybin said. "I'm a pretty quick healer. Just got to stay positive."

UP NEXT

July 19, 2017 Page 19 of 28

Nationals: Gio Gonzalez (8-4, 2.66 ERA) has been having an outstanding summer, but he had lost three

straight starts before dazzling Cincinnati last week by pitching scoreless four-hit ball into the ninth.

Angels: Alex Meyer (3-5, 4.18 ERA) will return from the minors to make his 13th start of a fairly solid

season. He hasn't pitched for Los Angeles since July 3, however.

Angels' Cameron Maybin sprains knee in awkward slide

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Maybin sprained his right knee while sliding awkwardly into second

base Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Angels' 4-3 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Maybin opened the first inning with a single, but Nationals starter Edwin Jackson pitched out when

Maybin took off to steal second. Maybin then adjusted his slide too late and dragged his right leg

awkwardly behind him.

"As soon as I slid, I felt something like a little pop, and I was just uneasy about it," Maybin said. "It was

just an awkward play. I thought I heard contact, and looked for the ball, and then I realized there was

going to be a play. At the last minute I thought, 'You've got to get down,' and unfortunately my leg got

caught behind me."

The Angels' training staff came to his aid, and a grimacing Maybin was helped to the dugout.

An MRI exam revealed the sprained ligament. The injury typically requires two to four weeks of

recovery.

"I'm glad that the results are probably the best that they could have been," Maybin said. "I'm a pretty

quick healer. Just got to stay positive."

Maybin began the night batting .236 in his debut season with the Angels. His first-inning single was just

his third hit in 35 at-bats, but he leads the AL with 25 stolen bases.

Ben Revere replaced Maybin in left field, and he'll probably get the bulk of Maybin's playing time during

the absence.

Nationals' Gonzalez looks to stay hot against Angels

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Washington Nationals boast a pair of aces, Max Scherzer and Steven Strasburg,

who are a combined 21-8 this season.

However, the Nationals might not own an 11 1/2-game lead in the National League East if not for Gio

Gonzalez. The 10-year veteran is 8-4 with a 2.66 ERA this season, and he is 72-49 with a 3.50 ERA since

he came to Washington in 2012.

July 19, 2017 Page 20 of 28

He starts the finale of a two-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday coming off a

stout 8 1/3 scoreless innings in a win against Cincinnati. Gonzalez pitched the Nationals to a 5-0 victory

over the Reds on Friday in the first game back from the All-Star break.

"That was as sharp as I've seen him and the longest he kept his sharpness," Washington manager Dusty

Baker said after the win. "He had an outstanding breaking ball, located his fastball well, threw an

occasional changeup, and against a tough offensive team in a very small ballpark. That was

outstanding."

Gonzalez has been outstanding throughout 2017 for a Nationals team that has the third-most wins in

baseball. He has allowed just 13 earned runs in his past eight starts since the beginning of June, yielding

33 hits in 53 1/3 innings while pitching to a 2.19 ERA. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 15 of his 19

starts, and two runs or fewer in 14.

He hasn't faced the Angels since 2014, but he has a career 7-2 record with a 2.62 ERA in 11 starts against

them.

"He's more of a pitcher now than he's ever been in his career," Washington general manager Mike Rizzo

said during Gonzalez's June success.

"He can't rely on a 96 mph fastball any more. Now he's 89 to 92, pitches low in the zone. He's gone back

to relying on this nasty curveball, and really has developed a third pitch in the changeup. He's

challenging hitters and getting ahead of them. I think that's always been the key to him, and I think that

he's really now beginning to become more of a pitcher than he was when he was young and had that

electric arm."

The Angels come into the game straining to stay in the picture for an American League wild-card playoff

spot, the West division title seemingly having been clinched by the Astros in late May. Houston has a 16

1/2-game lead, with Los Angeles 18 games back. The Angels are 3-10 in their past 13 games.

The Angels are expected to recall Alex Meyer from Triple-A Salt Lake before the Wednesday game to

make the start. The team has had enough off days and the All-Star break to go with a four-man rotation,

which allowed them to send Meyer (3-5, 4.18 ERA) out to work on his mechanics.

"He's come a long way from where he was last year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said at the time of

Meyer's demotion. "As much as you think you can influence a player with coaching, experience is the

best teacher. You look where he was last year or even where he was in spring training, and there's a

huge jump. Hopefully, he'll take another step forward."

In five innings on July 9 against El Paso, Meyer allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits in five

innings. He walked two, struck out seven and yielded two homers.

He has been inconsistent in his past few major league starts, with two good outings against the Los

Angeles Dodgers and the Kansas City Royals offset by a 3 1/3-inning performance against the Boston Red

Sox and a 4 2/3-inning, five-walk start against the New York Yankees.

July 19, 2017 Page 21 of 28

Meyer will be facing the Nationals for the first time.

FROM ESPN.COM

The biggest difference between Trout and Harper isn't ability

By Alden Gonzalez / ESPN Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- Bryce Harper homered in the first inning on Tuesday, and then Mike Trout stepped to the

plate and did the very same thing. Only Trout's was louder, higher and more prodigious -- a 448-foot

shot that Statcast recorded as his longest home run this season.

In the end, though, Harper recorded four hits and his Washington Nationalsbeat Trout's Los Angeles

Angels 4-3, which was fitting.

Trout, still the game's best all-around player, has thoroughly outperformed Harper throughout the

course of his career, nearly doubling Harper's career wins above replacement. But Harper has

continually benefited from having great teams around him, a luxury Trout has hardly ever been

afforded. And that reality was unmistakable by the end of Tuesday night.

Harper's Nationals have now won five straight games since the All-Star break. They're 57-36 and 11.5

games ahead of every other team in the National League East. Trout's Angels, meanwhile, continue to

flounder in perpetual mediocrity.

The Angels -- now four games below .500, with five teams ahead of them in the race for the second

American League wild-card spot -- will probably miss the playoffs for the fifth time in Trout's six full

major league seasons. Another year of the game's greatest player in his prime will go to waste unless

they go on a run and acquire some serious help before the non-waiver trade deadline.

Angels general manager Billy Eppler spoke prior to Tuesday's game and didn't sound like a man who's

ready to accept that fate.

He spoke about being "opportunistic," striking a balance of winning now without mortgaging the future

and perhaps using prospects to acquire impact players who are controllable long term, like he did with

shortstop Andrelton Simmons two Novembers ago.

Eppler also brought up the possibility of spending more this coming offseason, adding that the Angels

have 12 expiring contracts on their payroll, which, he said, is more than any other team in the majors.

Asked if that means the Angels can truly go for it again, by adding big-time free agents to surround Trout

with adequate talent, Eppler smiled.

"That just remains to be seen," he said. "There will be some flexibility, and with that comes a chance to

inject some creative decision-making, be even more opportunistic when things come around."

July 19, 2017 Page 22 of 28

Eppler is in a tough spot, now and in the immediate future. He has five starting pitchers -- the same five

starting pitchers he would love to have in his Opening Day rotation next season -- on the disabled list.

And his farm system, most of which he inherited, is still widely considered the industry's worst. It's a

circumstance that screams rebuilding, but Trout's presence is enough to sway it.

"Every year, we want to go for it," Eppler said. "Every year, we want to be that club."

But the Angels aren't that club; they haven't been for quite some time. In the opener of their current

series with the Nationals, Harper homered then singled twice and led off the eighth inning with a triple,

eventually scoring the go-ahead run. Had Harper not been ruled out on a close play at second base in

the third inning, he would have had his first career cycle. Instead, he settled for his fourth four-hit game

this season, which raised his batting average to .337, and his 24th home run, which tied last season's

output in 61 fewer games.

"After a year like last year, he's bounced back for sure, big time," Trout said. "That's huge for him."

Nationals manager Dusty Baker was asked about the biggest difference with Harper these days.

"No. 1, he's healthy, and No. 2, he's not in a hurry at the plate," said Baker, who will give Harper a day

off on Wednesday. "He doesn't like his year last year, and it happens. Everybody can have a down year.

The public and the media, they don't see it like that. But some years everything falls, and some years

nothing falls. We knew Bryce was going to bounce back, because he doesn't like not performing well."

On April 28, 2012, Harper was called up for the first time and Trout was called up for good. They've been

linked ever since.

"And we're always going to be compared," Trout said. "It's going to be like that for the rest of our

careers."

Harper and Trout played on the same Arizona Fall League team in 2011, and they have since played

against one another in four separate All-Star Games. But their relationship hasn't extended beyond the

field. They carry themselves too differently, play too far away from one another.

"I talk to him every once in a while when we play," Trout said, "but not much."

Harper has battled injuries and inconsistencies, but Trout's first six seasons have been a steady stream

of excellence, with the only hiccup being the thumb injury that recently kept him out for six weeks. His

2017 OPS is 1.174 -- 100 points higher than Harper's.

Trout can still win the MVP.

"He's a talent that comes once in a lifetime," Harper said. "He's must-watch TV, always."

Whether it was a happy coincidence or genius trolling, the Angels gave away bobbleheads for Tuesday's

game. It was a dual one of Trout holding his two MVP Awards -- one more than Harper has won thus far,

in case you were wondering who has been better.

July 19, 2017 Page 23 of 28

But one inescapable truth remains: Trout's entire playoff career consists of three losses to the Kansas

City Royals in 2014. And Harper is headed for his fourth division title.

AL steals leader Cameron Maybin helped off with sprained MCL after awkward slide

ESPN.com news services

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Outfielder Cameron Maybin sprained his right knee while sliding awkwardly into

second base Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Angels' 4-3 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Maybin opened the first inning with a single, but Nationals starter Edwin Jackson pitched out when

Maybin took off to steal second. Maybin then adjusted his slide too late and dragged his right leg

awkwardly behind him.

"As soon as I slid, I felt something like a little pop, and I was just uneasy about it," Maybin said. "It was

just an awkward play. I thought I heard contact and looked for the ball, and then I realized there was

going to be a play. At the last minute, I thought, 'You've got to get down,' and unfortunately, my leg got

caught behind me."

The Angels' training staff came to his aid, and a grimacing Maybin was helped to the dugout.

An MRI exam revealed a grade 1 sprain of his medial collateral ligament. The injury typically requires

two to four weeks of recovery.

"I'm glad that the results are probably the best that they could have been," Maybin said. "I'm a pretty

quick healer. Just got to stay positive."

Maybin began the night batting .236 in his debut season with the Angels. His first-inning single was just

his third hit in 35 at-bats, but he leads the American League with 25 stolen bases.

Ben Revere replaced Maybin in left field, and he'll probably get the bulk of Maybin's playing time during

the absence.

FROM NBC SPORTS

Bryce Harper and Mike Trout traded home runs. Harper kept going

By Craig Calcaterra

As I wrote last week, baseball can’t promote its stars in a game-specific manner. It can’t — like the NBA

can with LeBron James and Steph Curry or the NFL can in the battle of two marquee quarterbacks —

guarantee you that two superstars facing off in an upcoming game will shine in said game. Sometimes

the greatest player goes 0-for-4. Sometimes a reliever and a utility infielder are the most important

dudes in a game.

July 19, 2017 Page 24 of 28

Last night, however, Bryce Harper‘s Nationals and Mike Trout‘s Angels faced off, and the two biggest

stars in the game each rose to the occasion.

In the first inning, Bryce Harper hit a homer. And not only did he hit it, he hit it directly over Mike

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Harper didn’t stop with his homer, though. He had two singles and a triple on top of that to finish his

night 4-for-4. Trout’s homer would be his only hit of the night, though he did knock in a second run with

a ninth inning grounder.

This is only the second series in which baseball’s two best players have faced off. The first time took

place in April 2014. In that series Trout went 5-for-14 while Harper went 1-for-11. They only have one

more game in this short, two-game series. Though there are no guarantees in any given game, it feels

like one we should tune into tonight.

FROM USA TODAY SPORTS

Mike Trout has been so much better than Bryce Harper that it's silly to keep comparing them

By Ted Berg / For The Win

For as long as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are both playing Major League Baseball, people are going to

compare Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. And it makes sense: They’re similar in age, they both became

full-time big-leaguers in late April of 2012, they both won Rookie of the Year Awards that season,

they’ve both won MVP awards, they both club monster homers, they both play the outfield. Harper has

been a famous baseball guy since before he came up; Trout has been so outrageously good that he, too,

now counts as a full-blown famous baseball guy even if he can’t match Harper for headlines. And with

Harper’s Nationals in Anaheim for a quick series against Trout’s Angels, this is a thing right now.

But as players, to date in their careers, there’s really no comparing Trout and Harper, as Trout has simply

been way better.

That’s no knock on Harper! Failing to match Mike Trout’s early-career accomplishments puts him in the

company of literally every other player in baseball history, and Harper appears very much on a Hall of

Fame trajectory in his own right. Harper hasn’t turned 25 yet, he’s one of the best players in the game,

and he’s in the midst of his second MVP-caliber campaign in the last three seasons. He’s totally

awesome at baseball. And perhaps, if you believe the injury issues that plagued Harper in 2013 and 2014

and the prolonged slump that dogged his 2016 are all behind him, you could argue that Harper might be

as good as Trout moving forward.

July 19, 2017 Page 25 of 28

You just can’t really argue that Harper will be better than Trout moving forward, because being better

than Trout isn’t really a real thing. Trout has maintained such an enormous level of production in his

early career that his first five seasons hold up well against the best five seasons of some of the greatest

players of all time. And at 25 — a year older than Harper — he played well enough before his wrist

injury this season to suggest he might be establishing a new, somehow even better level.

And while Harper’s 2015 and 2017 seasons suggest improvement at the plate, there’s really no endpoint

you can set at which his numbers look better than Trout’s (save this last month and half, which Trout

missed with injury). Since the start of Harper’s career, Trout tops him handily in batting average, on-

base percentage, slugging, OPS+, doubles, triples, homers, runs scored, runs batted in and stolen bases.

Heck, since the start of 2015 — Harper’s first truly great season — Trout still trumps Harper in batting

average, on-base percentage and slugging, and even beats Harper in home runs on a per-game average.

And since Trout plays center field and Harper plays right, Trout is a far more valuable defensive player.

By career WAR, Trout’s 52.0 more than doubles Harper’s 25.5. Since the start of 2015, Trout is at 23.4

and Harper at 15.9. Even this season, in which Trout has missed nearly half the Angels’ games, Harper

only tops Trout in WAR by a margin of 0.5.

Again, we’re all going to keep comparing them, but it’s probably not fair to either player that we do.

Harper is one of the best in world, and it feels only like hating to point out that he simply hasn’t been as

good as Trout. Trout is the best in the world, and has been so extraordinarily good in the first part of his

career that comparing him with anyone save the best in history understates his excellence.

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS

Here’s how much Mike Trout could have made in free agency this winter

By Jeff Passan / Yahoo Sports

Mike Trout could have been a free agent this winter. Three years ago, he signed a $144.5 million

contract extension that will keep him with the Los Angeles Angels through the 2020 season and ensure

future generations of Trouts drive only the loveliest flying cars. In doing so, he kept baseball from the

frenzy of all free agent frenzies.

Still, this is MLB, king of hypothetical sports, and a particularly inquisitive front-office type recently

posed a question to which he didn’t know the answer: What would this winter look like had Trout not

accepted the Angels’ deal? And what sort of contract would a 26-year-old Mike Trout land as an

unrestricted free agent?

The answers: Insane and insane, respectively. To figure out just how outlandish, Yahoo Sports asked a

wide swath of GMs, assistant GMs, scouts, agents and sundry baseball types to provide an estimate on a

hypothetical Trout deal. Sixty-three people offered their opinions. The lowest dollar value was $200

July 19, 2017 Page 26 of 28

million – and that was on a four-year deal. Yes: The idea of Mike Trout as a $50 million-a-year player is

not at all far-fetched.

Because another two people suggested five years and $250 million would be the sweet spot while one

went so far as to say the bidding would go to 10 years and $500 million. That $500 million number

wasn’t the ceiling, either. One person wondered if a team might consider a 15-year, $600 million deal,

which seemed absurd until one remembers that Alex Rodriguez, as a free agent at age 26, more than

doubled the previous record contract in baseball when he signed for 10 years and $252 million before

the 2001 season.

Back then, the game’s revenues were about $3.5 billion. Today, they’re upward of $10 billion. So a $500

million contract is not excessive – not close when compared to Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million deal –

considering that Trout would be the single greatest free agent ever, even better than A-Rod.

In his five full seasons, Trout has won a pair of MVP awards and finished second the other three times.

Only Ty Cobb has more wins above replacement than Trout through his age-25 season, and Trout should

pass him by season’s end. He is playing at a higher level now than ever, slashing .337/.455/.725 with 17

home runs, 11 stolen bases and a perfectly solid center field glove. He is, by all accounts, a delightful

human being, an exemplary teammate, a humble person – the antithesis of A-Rod as a player.

And the age. That’s the kicker. More than ever in the post-amphetamine era, teams covet 30-and-under

players. The Cubs guaranteed Jason Heyward$184 million over eight years when he hit free agency at

26. Age matters. Trout may well still get an obscene deal when he actually reaches the market at age 29

– especially with Bryce Harper and Manny Machado having set the market after the 2018 season – but

being 26 would allow him the option to take a short deal or target an incredibly long one.

The risk of the shorter deal is obvious. If Trout got hurt or underperformed, he’d leave money on the

table. Plenty of it potentially. And not just that: If the average annual value of his deal is somewhere in

the neighborhood of $50 million, that’s the number used to calculate his luxury tax cost.

As one scout noted, that is an important point not just for hypothetical Trout but real Harper and

Machado: “As good as Trout is, there’s a cap for his contract that has nothing to do with Trout. The [new

collective bargaining agreement] is hard on high-dollar teams. At some point, and I’m not sure where

that point is, but at some point, the cost will outweigh the return, no matter how good the player.”

Between that and human beings’ love of round numbers, it’s why the most common guess – nearly half

of the 63 who responded – was a 10-year deal for $400 million. It checked off a number of boxes. The

$40 million-a-year threshold. The double-digit years. The largest contract in sports history. Yes, yes, yes.

And yet one agent and one general manger landed on the same number, and considering the amount of

money coursing through baseball today, the limited avenues to spend it on amateur talent and the

unique opportunity to get perhaps half a decade of prime years or more, this might be closer to the

actual figures were this not simply a thought exercise: 12 years, $480 million.

July 19, 2017 Page 27 of 28

A 26-year-old Trout as a free agent feels like a perfect, picturesque beach house put up slightly under

market to create a bidding war. If every team in baseball understands that it’s going to take 10 years and

$400 million to get a seat at the table, those truly interested will begin sweetening their deals to

differentiate themselves. If Albert Pujols and Robinson Cano and A-Rod can sign deals into their 40s, will

a team really balk at signing Trout through age 38? Or, in the case of that 15-year deal, 41?

To add another layer to the intrigue, picture this: Mike Trout, trade candidate. The Angels are hovering

around .500, and with arguably the worst farm system in baseball, they could restock themselves selling

Trout as a rental. This is like baseball inception, a dream inside of a dream, but teams would be falling all

over themselves right now to add the best player in baseball, even for just two months. The recruiting

opportunity alone would be worth the prospect haul that few teams could even muster.

The Houston Astros? Before Carlos Correa’s injury, they were a threat to score 1,000 runs, and Trout

would’ve made them scarier than they are already. The New York Yankees? They’d find room. The

Chicago Cubs? They may not have the goods, but start a deal with Kyle Schwarber and maybe there’s

something there.

Enough fever dreaming. This isn’t real. Neither is envisioning which team would pursue him hardest this

winter. Would he go home to Philadelphia, which has next to no long-term contract commitments on its

books? Would New York dazzle him? Would the Angels prey on his love of Los Angeles – or might the

Dodgers sneak in and offer him the LA lifestyle in a winning wrapper? It’s truly fascinating to consider.

Reality isn’t much fun. Trout will make $33.25 million each of the next three years, and in the end, the

current deal will have cost him somewhere around $50 million. Now, it’s awfully difficult to question the

wisdom in a man turning down $144.5 million. There comes a point at which the money is so big it’s

almost irresponsible to say no. It is impossible to say, too, whether Trout would have continued to play

at an all-time historic level had he not signed the contract.

Presuming he did, he already has left somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million on the table

through arbitration alone. He would have shattered Ryan Howard’s first-year record and then gone on

to reset the market in the years thereafter. Had Trout not signed his deal, the beneficiaries would’ve

been players across baseball, who would’ve seen tens of millions more dollars in arbitration given the

ripple effect of him constantly pushing boundaries.

Instead, it’s Harper who’s likeliest to see those double-digit years and that deal that begins with a four.

It wouldn’t have been nearly as big a deal in the alternative universe where Trout is a free agent. The

average of all 63 personnel people pegged his would-be deal at 11 years, $443 million – about as

reasonable a half-billion-dollar investment as one will find, short of T-bills.

That’s Mike Trout: rock solid, easily relied upon, guaranteeing a return. The Angels are a very lucky

team. And the rest of baseball only can sit there, wondering what it would’ve looked like this winter,

what it will resemble come 2020 when this thought experiment finally becomes reality.

July 19, 2017 Page 28 of 28

FROM SB NATION

Bryce Harper hit a home run, then Mike Trout one-upped him in the same inning

The Angels may need another shipment of baseballs pretty soon.

By Will Kubzansky / Federal Baseball

Entering tonight’s game in Anaheim, Super phenom Bryce Harper and super-mega-ultra-the next-Babe-

Ruth-phenom Mike Trout had only matched up once before in their careers, a three-game set in April of

2014.

During that series, most of the attention was on Albert Pujols, who hit his 500th career homer into the

Red Porch in near dead-center field in the second game of the series.

Harper wasn’t particularly impressive and Mike Trout, who went 5 for 14 in the series, on the way to the

AL MVP that season, was somewhat overshadowed by Pujols.

However, ask most baseball pundits then and now who they think is more impressive, and the majority

will say that they think more highly of Trout than Harper.

But any fan that knows Harper knows that he’s one of the most competitive guys in the game, that has

always and forever will want to be remembered as the greatest to ever play the game — so being

ranked as number two probably isn’t Harper’s favorite thing.

With that in mind, Harper stepped up to the plate in the top of the first inning on Tuesday night and

launched a fly ball into deep left center field, over the head of Mike Trout and over the wall, traveling

405 ft at an exit velocity of 103 miles per hour off the bat.

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The baseball world quivered momentarily in excitement. Was this Harper coming in to Trout’s home

stadium and fully announcing an all-out battle over the next three games, with whoever finished on top

being deemed the superior player?

If Harper did issue that challenge, then Mike Trout seemed to have no problem with it, launching his

own home run in the bottom of the first to nearly the exact same spot, but a little farther.

The homer came off the bat at 108 MPH and traveled around 45 feet farther than Harper’s, landing in

the stands 448 feet away from home plate.

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Here’s the best part: we get to see this again tonight, and two more times later this summer. Sign us up,

please.