The Los Angeles Angels officially activated Mike Trout from the injured list for Friday’s matchup with the Cleveland Guardians. Batting fifth for the first time in his career, he started at designated hitter and went 1-for-5 with 2 strikeouts in the Angels’ 4-1 win.

Trout singled in his second at-bat of the game, putting a hanging sinker into left field. He nearly got a hit in his first at-bat as well, but Guardians’ third baseman José Ramírez snared the line drive for an out.

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Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters (via the Orange County Register) that the original plan was for Trout to return on Monday versus the Boston Red Sox. But after his workout at Angel Stadium on Wednesday, Trout said he felt good enough to play DH. He could return to the outfield next week.

Trout, 33, has been on the IL since May 1 with a bone bruise in his left knee sustained while stepping awkwardly on first base as he ran out a ground ball. The Angels initially said the injury wasn’t serious and he was originally eligible to be activated on May 10.

At the time of his injury, Trout was batting .179/.264/.462 with nine home runs, 18 RBI and two stolen bases. The three-time American League MVP has now missed significant time due to injury for four consecutive seasons.

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Last season, Trout was sidelined for five months and played in only 29 games after requiring two surgeries on the meniscus in his left knee. In 2023, a fractured hamate bone in his left hand kept him out for the second half of the season. In 2022, Trout played 119 games but missed a month with a back injury. And in 2021, a calf strain hobbled him for nearly five months, limiting him to 39 games.

Since winning AL MVP in 2019, when he batted .291/.438/.605 with a career-high 45 homers, Trout has averaged 58 games per season. With 107 games remaining in the 2025 season, he has an opportunity to increase that average. Though considering his recent history, it seems unlikely he’ll play in all of those games.

Prior to the season, Trout moved to right field in an attempt to “preserve the legs” after playing 92% of his career games in center field. With the position change, Jo Adell, Kyren Paris and Matthew Lugo have each played in center.

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However, Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to clear a spot for Trout on the roster and Paris was also demoted when the Angels signed veteran utilityman Chris Taylor, recently released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, to help out at the position. Adell started in center on Friday, while regular DH Jorge Soler played in right field.

The Angels went into Friday’s game with a 25-30 record, going 13-12 while Trout was on the IL.