MIAMI – Mike Trout almost always makes sure to give himself a gift whenever he gets the chance to play on his birthday.
“You never take it for granted being in a Major League clubhouse,” Trout said.
Trout’s latest gift was a Statcast-projected 400-foot home run to left-center field in the first inning of the Angels’ 4-3 win over Marlins at loanDepot park on Friday night, the 35th birthday of the Angels outfielder.
“It’s pretty cool,” Trout said. “It’s been like 12, 20 games [since I’ve hit one], so that’s good to finally get one. I [had just] been jumping too forward lately and jamming myself.”
After swinging at the first offering from Miami starter Tyler Phillips with one out in the opening frame, Trout took a 96.8 mph four-seam fastball deep for his 19th home run of the season.
“I ended up yanking it right into his wheelhouse, and he put a very, very good swing on it,” Phillips said. “That’s what Mike Trout is going to do.”
Trout went 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk. He’s slashing .240/.385/.449 with an .834 OPS on the season.
After the Marlins tied the score in the fourth and took the lead in the sixth, Trout helped put the Angels back in front in the seventh.
Josh Lowe walked to lead off the inning, moved up on a sacrifice bunt and took third on a groundout. Trout then hit a weak chopper up the middle that went under the glove of pitcher Josh Ekness for an error. The ball came off his bat at 56.7 mph, and Trout beat the throw to first from Xavier Edwards, allowing Lowe to tag home and tie the score at 2-2.
“Just try to take care of my body,” Trout said when asked if he feels 35. “Obviously, I ran a lot tonight. Just get into the tubs and I’ll feel good tomorrow.”
Trout’s hustle set up a two-run go-ahead home run from hometown player Nolan Schanuel, who sent his seventh homer of the season out to give the Angels a 4-2 lead.
“[I] stayed locked in and to be able to hit it in front of my friends and family, and pretty much my hometown, my home state, it was awesome,” Schanuel said. “And just Mike obviously doing Mike things.
“But to be able to beat a team that’s in the hunt [for the playoffs] … we’re playing spoilers right now, so it’s awesome to be able to do that.”
The Angels preserved the win when left fielder Jose Siri threw out Leo Jiménez at home on Javier Sanoja's double for the final out. The call at home stood upon review.
“I knew where Siri was playing, so I knew there was going to be a potential play at the plate,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Siri came up and he made a perfect throw and [a] great tag behind him. Got him by inches.”
“I didn't think they were going to send him, but with Siri, he kind of dares them to send them. … [He] made a strong throw. It’s a bang-bang play,” Trout added.
Trout is 10-for-31 (.323) with six home runs in eight games on his birthday. He tied Alex Rodriguez and Mark Reynolds for the most career birthday home runs.
“I didn’t know that,” Trout said with a smile. “It’s cool to be up there. You play the game for a long time, cool things happen like that. So to be in the same conversation as them, it’s pretty special.”
Trout also became the first player in MLB history to homer on his birthday in six seasons (2012, ‘13, ‘15, ‘17, ‘20 and ‘26). He did not play on his birthday in ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and ‘24 because of injuries.
With his 423rd career homer, the 12-time All-Star also became the third player in MLB history to homer on his birthday at both 21 or younger and 35 or older, joining Ted Williams and Rodriguez, per Elias Sports.
“Every time he gets into one or puts a good swing, hits the ball hard, it's always a beautiful sight,” Suzuki said. “The swing is just … you remember that ever since he came to the big leagues. So to do it on his birthday, I think they said that was the sixth one in a row that he's hit.
“So maybe tomorrow [can] be his birthday again, and the next day.”