2023 MLB Fantasy: Which Outfielders Should You Target with Mike Trout Out?

For the third consecutive campaign, Angels star outfielder Mike Trout is set to miss significant time. Trout broke his left hamate bone, in what is a massive blow for the Angels and their playoff hopes. However, let’s focus on fantasy for a minute. Which outfielders would be good replacement options for Trout? Let’s have a look at some options, and quickly take a glance over Trout’s stats from 2023.

A Look at Trout

The 2023 campaign has been a peculiar one for superstar outfielder Mike Trout.

A year removed from a 40 home run campaign, Trout’s peripheral numbers have been fine. Through his first 81 games, the 31-year-old hit .263 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI. But despite the fact that Trout was been on pace to hit the 30 home run plateau as of July 4, his SLG (.493) and OPS (.862) sat at what would be career-lows.

Trout’s still been hitting balls hard on a consistent basis, but he’s also been topping out at pitches on a more frequent basis. Trout’s average launch angle this season is 19.2, a little less than the 24.6 from a year earlier. In particular, he’s been sawed off often on sinkers inside, as well as the occasional slider and four-seamer.

**Note**: All pitches plotted have a launch angle of -10 or less and an exit velocity of 90 MPH of less.

Still, the 31-year-old superstar has maintained a solid pace, in terms of drawing walks and pounding on baseballs. It hasn’t been at the pace we’ve become accustomed to from Trout, but he’s been effective.

However, it appears that the Angels will need to depend a lot more on the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Hunter Renfroe. Trout existed the Angels’ game on July 3, and he was placed on the IL a day later with a hamate fracture in his left wrist.

The Trout injury is a significant one, for both fantasy owners and Angels fans. Even though the Angels have not provided a timeline for a return as of this writing, precedent indicates that he’ll be out for at least the next few weeks.

A Look at Potential Moves

There won’t be any outfielders on the waiver wire that can replace a name like Trout, even in what has been an uncharatarisctally off campaign for the three-time AL MVP. However, there should some outfielders available that can provide a punch in the interim.

Here’s a look at some potential options:

All five can supply some pop, but right now the most appealing option would likely be Tommy Pham. The Mets outfielder has been on a tear recently, as he’s hit .366 (34-93) with six home runs and 20 RBI over the last month. He hits the ball very hard on a consistent basis, but he is due for a slump.

Conforto, De La Cruz, and Nootbaar are all interesting buy-low candidates. All three have shown flashes of brilliance at times, particularly De La Cruz. On the season, De La Cruz has hit .273 with nine home runs and 44 RBI for a Marlins team that sits in a playoff spot.

Braves OF Eddie Rosario is another name to consider. He does play everyday, and he’s been much more effective at the plate this season. Here’s a look at his 2023 numbers, as compared to his 2022 figures (as of 7/4):

2023: 255 AB, .259 AVG, 14 HR, 40 RBI
2022: 250 AB, .212 AVG, 5 HR, 24 RBI

Rosario is healthy this season, which has helped considerably.

Note: All players are available in at least 50% of leagues in 5×5 roto Yahoo! leagues.

UPDATE (7/4): Trout will miss the next four to eight weeks.