Trout homers are back, and majestic as ever 

In an annual rite of spring that signifies the regular season is almost here, Angels superstar Mike Trout connected on his first homer of Spring Training on Thursday, smacking a two-run shot over the berm beyond the left-field fence in a 5-4 win over the Giants at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Trout’s mammoth homer came off veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto on a 3-1 fastball in the first inning. Trout is now 3-for-11 in six Cactus League games this season. Angels manager Joe Maddon was happy to see Trout go deep, but was also pleased to see other regulars have solid days at the plate such as Albert Pujols (3-for-3), Shohei Ohtani (2-for-3), David Fletcher (2-for-3), Justin Upton (two walks) and Dexter Fowler (two-run homer).

“It was really the whole group and Mikey looked really good, obviously,” Maddon said. “I know it’s early but I like the edginess of this group. We ran aggressively. We played defense. There was a lot to like today.”

Trout, a three-time AL MVP and eight-time All-Star, has also had plenty of success in Spring Training over his illustrious career. After going 1-for-3 in the 5-4 win in seven innings, Trout is a career .345 hitter with 27 homers and 101 RBIs in 464 at-bats in 186 Cactus League games. His numbers are even more impressive when considering how often he doesn’t play a full Spring Training game.

Trout’s two-run blast came while batting second in the order, but Maddon has said he’s not sure where Trout will bat once the season starts. Trout has mostly batted second in recent years but hit third after Fletcher and Jared Walsh for most of last season. Maddon has tinkered with lineups this spring, including having Ohtani bat after Trout, even though Anthony Rendon will hit behind Trout in the regular season.

Angels make first cut of the spring
The Angels optioned left-hander Hector Yan, marking their first roster cut of the spring. Yan, 21, struggled in his lone outing, allowing two runs on four hits while recording two outs against the D-backs on March 4. His velocity was also notably down to 91-92 mph, which was a few mph slower than in his breakout season in '19, when he had a 3.39 ERA in 109 innings at Class A Burlington. He spent last year at the club’s alternate training site and will be able to continue to work out with the rest of the players this spring despite being optioned.

“The velocity was done a little bit,” Maddon said. “When I saw him last year, I was so excited. I think there’s something there that can be rectified. He’s a great kid, really cares and tries hard. I like the uniqueness of his delivery. But the ball just wasn’t coming out of his hand as hot. We’ll have to research that moving forward.”

Angels tidbits
• Non-roster relievers Brendan McCurry and Gerardo Reyes will both undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The return to play for each player is roughly 12-18 months. McCurry was signed as a Minor League free agent, while Reyes was acquired in a trade with the Padres last year for catcher Jason Castro.

• Right-hander Luke Bard had an injection in his hip after experiencing some discomfort and will be reevaluated this weekend. Right-hander Aaron Slegers, who dealt with back spasms, is playing catch, while lefty Dillon Peters, who also had back spasms, is nearing towards throwing a bullpen. Lefty Packy Naughton could start his throwing program as soon as Monday after sustaining a flexor pronator strain early in camp.

• The Angels have added right-handers Zac Kristofak and Austin Warren to Major League camp as non-roster invitees. Kristofak was the club's 14th-round pick in 2019 out of the University of Georgia. Warren was a sixth-round selection in '18 and posted a combined 3.12 ERA in 57 2/3 innings across two levels in '19. The roster is now at 69 players.

• Maddon, 67, revealed he already had the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination and is nearing the date to get his second dose.