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There is a finite number of teams willing to spend whatever it takes to win. Although the New York Mets have never figured out the latter part of that equation, they have the money and big-market appeal to lure Mike Trout to the Big Apple.

The Mets desperately need an offensive catalyst. They have the ninth-worst OPS in the league and the 12th-fewest runs. Likewise, their current everyday center fielder, Harrison Bader, has been one of the most ineffective hitters in the lineup. Trout wouldn’t solve all their problems, but it could be enough to push the Mets into a wild-card spot.

There’s an alternate universe where Trout is already part of the Mets. It checks all the boxes: an also-ran team in one of the biggest markets, the team spending whatever it takes to compete but never finding success. This situation would be analogous to Trout’s current one. Still, it could be the fresh start he demands from the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto Blue Jays

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For a brief moment, Toronto Blue Jays fans were delighted at the prospects of landing this offseason’s biggest free agent. Shohei Ohtani was reportedly considering the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Jays before landing on the former. Nevertheless, Mike Trout would be the ideal consolation prize as desperation sets in for the Blue Jays.

Toronto was expected to compete in the AL East this year. They entered the campaign with the third-best odds to win the division, and we’re touted to extract maximum value from their supposedly developed talent. Instead, they’re languishing in the AL East basement, struggling to compete.

Two months into the season, the Blue Jays have the second-fewest runs in the bigs. They desperately need a game-changing player on offense, and Trout could be that guy.

Detroit Tigers

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Every year, the AL Central is one of the most easily won divisions in sports. Only three times over the past 16 years has a division winner posted a win percentage above .586. The Detroit Tigers are in the thick of it this year, hovering around the .500 mark all season. Surely, Mike Trout would push them over the edge.

The Tigers, buoyed by Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, need a player of Trout’s ilk to solidify their offense. They rank among the worst teams in runs scored and OPS and would benefit from the addition of Trout to the heart of their lineup.

It’s taken a few years, but the Tigers have developed top-end talent. Bringing in Trout would open up many new possibilities in the AL Central for years.

St. Louis Cardinals

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The once-proud St. Louis Cardinals have looked rudderless over the past few years. Granted, they won the NL Central in 2022 but haven’t secured a playoff win since 2019. Worse, they finished 20 games below .500 last season and have a worse win percentage through the first 45 games of the 2024 season. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt haven’t tolerated the increased pressure, but Mike Trout could alleviate some of that burden.

Offensively, the Cards have struggled. They have the third-fewest runs in the MLB, complemented by the seventh-worst OPS. Arenado and Goldy have offered limited contributions, but Dylan Carlson has been an abomination in center field. He has one hit in 20 at-bats, showing no signs of life as he gets re-acclimated to the major league routine.

St. Louis can extend its current window by reeling in Trout.

Los Angeles Dodgers

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This is the slap in the face that Los Angeles Angels fans never wanted to consider. Their cross-town freeway rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, poaching their generational players and riding them to championship glory.

The Dodgers have had no problems skirting the rules to bring in as many prominent free agents as possible. Moreover, the soft cap allows them to wander as far into the luxury tax surcharge as they would like, and they have the cash to do so.

The same familiarity that landed Shohei Ohtani in Dodgers blue could facilitate a Mike Trout trade to Chavez Ravine. Look away, Angels fans; you probably won’t want to see what comes next.