SEATTLE — With a runner on third base and two outs in the 10th, it seemed like Angels superstar Mike Trout would be intentionally walked, especially given how much he’s tormented the Mariners over his career.
But the Mariners opted to pitch to Trout, and he came through with a two-run homer to give the Angels a 4-2 win in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader at T-Mobile Park. It was Trout’s 50th career homer against the Mariners and his third of the series after going deep twice in the series opener on Thursday. Only Rafael Palmeiro has more career homers against the Mariners with 52.
“It felt good,” said Trout, who was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts heading into the at-bat. “I had been missing pitches all day. But I was able to get the barrel to it.”
Trout, a three-time AL MVP and nine-time All-Star, says he enjoys hitting in Seattle because of the backdrop — and he’s certainly had plenty of success in the ballpark. His 31 career homers are the most by an opposing player at T-Mobile Park. But he said the thought of being intentionally walked never crossed his mind as he went to the plate.
“You can’t go up there thinking about that,” Trout said. “I’m thinking about hitting the whole time. If they tell me to go to first base, I go to first base. But you can’t have that kind of mentality in your head because then you’re up there second-guessing.”
Trout’s go-ahead blast came on a 1-1 sinker at the bottom of the zone from right-hander Diego Castillo, who had been one of the best relievers in baseball over the last month. Castillo had a scoreless streak of 10 innings going back to May 23 before serving up the homer to Trout.
Mariners manager Scott Servais explained his rationale for pitching to Trout, as it wasn’t an easy decision with two-way star Shohei Ohtani looming on deck.
“I went with our hottest pitcher, our best pitcher, so to speak, and it’s Mike Trout,” Servais said. “He’s certainly got us a bunch in the past. It’s a tough decision. Last year’s MVP is in the on-deck circle, so that weighs into the decision as well. And you know where you want to go there from the numbers standpoint, as crazy as it sounds, you like the right-hander against Trout vs. the right-hander against Ohtani.”
Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said the idea that the Mariners would intentionally walk Trout was in the back of his mind, but he acknowledged it was a tough call.
“They had a lefty up in the ‘pen, but it’s really pick your poison right there,” Nevin said. “Shohei had just missed a couple of balls that would’ve been out in other places. He took some really good swings. So it’s hard to say. It really wasn’t that bad a pitch either. He’s just Mike Trout.”
Trout’s blast went a projected 411 feet to right-center field, per Statcast, and, fittingly, was caught by an Angels fan wearing a Trout jersey. It was the team-leading 19th homer of the season for Trout, who also leads the club with 40 RBIs in 59 games.
Trout said he didn’t notice that the Angels fan had caught the homer but said he saw him earlier in the game when he threw a ball up into the stands in between innings.
Trout also pointed in the direction of the outfield after he got to the dugout, but he said it was to the relievers in the bullpen, who have asked him to point to them when he rounds second base as part of his new home run celebration. Trout, though, was too caught up in the moment and didn’t remember until reliever Archie Bradley reminded him in the dugout.
“They told me they want me to point, but when I went around second I forgot,” Trout said with a laugh. “Archie told me when I got to the dugout, ‘The bullpen is looking at you.’ So I pointed, and I’m trying to add that.”