The comparisons started during Trout’s marvelous 2012 rookie season for the Los Angeles Angels, when he wowed the baseball world with his prodigious power, blinding speed and jaw-dropping catches in center field. A soft-spoken small-town kid with a crew cut, Trout was Mantle 2.0 on the field (off the field, not so much).

Unfortunately, Mantle was dogged by constant injuries and personal demons that frequently kept him off the field and prevented him from reaching his full potential. While he still enjoyed an 18-year career and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, many fans and even Mantle himself felt he could have been the greatest player ever had he stayed healthy and taken better care of his body.

Sadly, Trout’s career has followed a similar trajectory. While Trout has been remarkable when healthy (three MVPs, 11 All-Stars, etc.), he just hasn’t been able to stay on the field. He hasn’t played a full season since he was 24 as a barrage of injuries have robbed him of playing time, limiting him to just 88 games per season from 2017 to 2024.

This year has brought more of the same for Trout, who was leading the major leagues in homers before suffering a left meniscus tear on April 29. The 32-year-old underwent surgery last week and while he’s expected to be back at some point this season, there’s no timeline for his return.

Mike Trout said his surgery went well Friday and he’s still recovering. He still has stitches in his knee. No exact timeline. He said he had the option to DH all season and play through the injury but wanted to the surgery and recover as soon as possible.

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) May 9, 2024

Like Mantle during the final years of his career, Trout is a broken-down ballplayer trapped on a terrible team. He still has flashes of greatness when healthy, but that’s all they are at this point — flashes.

Trout could retire tomorrow and still get a plaque in Cooperstown, which is nothing to sneeze at. But like Mantle, he had a chance to be baseball’s GOAT before injuries sabotaged him.