PHOENIX \u2014 Mike Trout is on track to make his first All-Star Game appearance since 2019, and Angels manager Kurt Suzuki believes that is just what the game needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s great for baseball,\u201d Suzuki said.<\/p>\n
Trout, who led the American League with 51 runs entering Monday games, was second among AL outfielders with 926,601 votes when the first returns in Phase 1 of All-Star balloting were released on Monday<\/a>. Only New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (977,460) had more.<\/p>\n Trout, the All-Star Game MVP in 2014 and 2015, last appeared in the game in 2019. He was voted in several times since but missed the 2021, 2022 and 2023 games because of injuries. He leads active players with 11 selections.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great for Mike, you know, for him to be recognized again,\u201d said Suzuki, who played two seasons with Trout in 2021-22. \u201cObviously, you know, having some tougher years the last couple years.<\/p>\n \u201cYou really appreciate how he handles himself around the clubhouse with the work he puts in every single day. It\u2019s just been awesome. The one thing, he\u2019s always worked. He was having some injury things. It wasn\u2019t because of lack of work.\u201d<\/p>\n Trout was slashing .224\/.388\/.445 with 15 home runs, 32 RBIs, 11 doubles and seven stolen bases going into Monday\u2019s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n Trout\u2019s durability is showing, too. He has played in all but one of the Angels\u2019 73 games and is on pace to play more games than he has since his last All-Star appearance in 2019.<\/p>\n He seems a shoo-in for the July 14 game in Philadelphia, not far from where he grew up in Millville, N.J. The top two vote-getters at every position, and the top six outfielders, will advance to Phase 2 of the voting, which begins June 29. If an outfielder is a league\u2019s leading vote-getter, the next four outfield finalists will move on to Phase 2 to determine the other two starters.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s great to see him being back in there (voting) again and people are appreciating what he does for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Trout is 7 for 17 with two homers and four RBIs in the All-Star Game.<\/p>\n PITCHING MOVES<\/p>\n