Trout's Derby Absence
Mike Trout expected to miss Home Run Derby due to ongoing hamstring injury
Mike Trout is almost certainly sitting out the 2026 Home Run Derby. The Los Angeles Angels star said Friday he is "leaning toward not doing it," pointing to a strained right hamstring as the reason, according to Associated Press. The Derby takes place July 13 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia — just 45 miles from Trout's hometown of Millville, New Jersey.
The timing stings for baseball fans. Trout, a 34-year-old 11-time All-Star with 421 career home runs, has never once participated in the Derby. This year's event, set near his backyard, was widely seen as his last realistic shot. "It would have been cool to do it," Trout said, "but the injury kind of threw things off," per NBC Sports.
Hamstring Strain Derails a Long-Awaited Hometown Moment
Trout hurt his right hamstring on June 17 while running to first base in an 8-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Herald Bulletin. The Angels placed him on the 10-day injured list the next day. He had hit 17 home runs this season before going down — good enough to rank among the league leaders.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said Trout is making progress. "He's progressing... the activity level is ramping up a little bit," Suzuki said, per CBS Sports. Trout expects to return in time for the All-Star Game itself on July 14. But taking hundreds of extra, full-effort swings the night before is a different story.
Trout Has Skipped the Derby His Entire Career — Here's Why
This is not a new decision for Trout. He has turned down every Derby invitation since breaking into the league. His stated reason has always been the same: he worries that swinging all-out hundreds of times will mess up his swing for the second half of the season, according to Erie News Now.
This year felt different, though. Philadelphia is Trout's backyard. He grew up a die-hard Phillies fan. He once said playing an All-Star event in Philly would "definitely mean a lot." Reports from USA Today in late June suggested he was actually "considering" it. Then the hamstring gave out.
MLB Changed the Derby Rules Partly to Attract Stars Like Trout
MLB overhauled the Home Run Derby format for 2026 — and Trout was a big reason why. The league scrapped the old 3-minute timed rounds and replaced them with a swing-based system. Round 1 gives hitters 20 swings. Rounds 2 and 3 allow 15 swings each, according to The Daily Item.
The new rules were designed to cut the physical grind that players like Trout have long complained about. But even a less exhausting format cannot fix a torn hamstring. This is also the first Derby to stream live on Netflix, which had reportedly counted on big names like Trout to anchor its debut sports broadcast.
What Trout's Absence Means for Philadelphia and the Event
The 2026 All-Star Week is projected to bring in over $320 million in economic impact for Philadelphia, according to research firm Tourism Economics. The Derby is the week's biggest individual night. Trout sitting out may cool demand slightly for Monday night tickets on the secondary market.
Locally, the reaction has been disappointment. Philadelphia fans saw this as a once-in-a-generation chance to watch their hometown hero compete in their own ballpark. At age 34 and with a history of injuries — Trout has not played more than 130 games in a season since 2019 — another opportunity like this seems unlikely, per NH Register.
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