Los Angeles Angels: Why Mike Trout is being underpaid
By Jason Reed
![TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels lines out in the spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 28, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels lines out in the spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 28, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/f246e32c6cadfd949c3baa04da9bbcc20bcb294366599b000bd10ba629ed51e3.jpg)
2. Mike Trout’s contract could have been longer
The main reason why I think Trout is worth a half a billion and the reason why he did not get that is that the contract is not as long as it could have been. Tacking on three more years to the contract certainly would have gotten him to the $500 million mark, even if it means getting three more years of older Trout.
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Trout is going to be 39 years old when his contract is up. While he certainly will not be in his prime anymore, there is reason to believe that he will still be a productive player and could play another three years.
Three more years would put him at 42 at the end of his last season, which definitely is old, but is doable. The Angels benefitted more from this as the team can now address that issue when it comes instead of doubling down on 40-year-old Trout 13 years ahead of time not knowing where he will be.
There is also a chance that Trout ends up signing a two or three-year deal after this current contract and ends up getting paid the $500 million total, but it is not as pretty as getting that number on one contract.
Three more years at $500 million even would have paid Trout $23.3 million over the last three years, assuming that the first 12 years were all the same. While that is a big number, that is going to be much easier to work around as the salary cap continues to grow alongside inflation.
This would affect his AAV, but quite frankly, Trout deserves to be getting $40 million for the next seven years.
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Either way, he is getting underpaid, despite being paid $430 million. It is crazy, I know, but after reading this I hope you agree as well.