Trout reaches twice in second rehab game

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Mike Trout did not get much of a chance to show his stuff in his rehab assignment Thursday night.
Trout completed his second game with Advanced Class A Inland Empire. Officially, he was hitless in two at-bats as the DH, but he reached base on his two other plate appearances.
Trout, who won the American League Most Valuable Player Awards in 2014 and 2016, will take the day off Friday and return Saturday with Inland Empire.
Chris Bassitt, who pitched for the A's in 2016 and was making his fifth rehab appearance for Stockton while recovering from Tommy John surgery, struck out Trout in the first inning Thursday.
"Bassitt was throwing hard, and I have to get my timing down," Trout said.
Trout saw just one pitch in both his second and third at-bats of the evening. In the third, Norge Ruiz hit Trout on his left elbow. Trout was uninjured, and it seemed unlikely there was any ill intent considering there were runners on first and second with nobody out.
Trout's third turn resulted in him being awarded first base on catcher's interference.
"It felt like somebody grabbed my bat. It was weird," said Trout, who spoke with the home-plate umpire as if he preferred to stay in and hit. "I wanted to be sure the catcher wasn't hurt."

In his final at-bat, Trout hit a hard ground ball to short, ending the bottom of the sixth with a fielder's choice.
Trout, who has a .337 batting average in the Majors this season, has been out since May 28 because of a torn UCL in his left thumb, suffered while trying to steal a base.
Although frustrated with being on the disabled list for the first time in his seven-year Major League career, Trout said he has learned by watching from the replay booth. He also said he was grateful for advice from teammates Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons. Trout said Pujols told him to make sure he was healthy before he returned, while Simmons suffered a similar thumb injury in 2016, so Trout had some idea what to expect.
Trout's appearance drew a crowd of 6,078 to San Manuel Stadium, 2,400 more than his rehab debut Wednesday night.
"It's great to see fans show support for the Angels," Trout said.