ANAHEIM – – Angels superstar Mike Trout and veteran slugger Jorge Soler have both been looking to unlock their usual power numbers this season but haven’t quite provided the thunder they’ve been accustomed to over the years.
But they both took a big step toward that on Wednesday, as Trout homered twice and Soler connected on a go-ahead two-run blast in the eighth to help lift the Angels to a 11-8 win over the Rangers at Angel Stadium. It was a wild back-and-forth game that saw six lead changes but Soler’s homer in the eighth off reliever Luke Jackson proved to be the difference.
It marked Trout’s club record 27th career multihomer game and his third this season but his first since April 19. Trout has been a constant presence as designated hitter since missing a month with a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee. He’s hit .280/.421/.464 with seven homers, two doubles and 18 RBIs over his last 37 games since rejoining the lineup.
But his homers tend to come in bunches and he also went deep on Sunday in Toronto, suggesting he could be the precipice of a surge in power. Before suffering his knee injury while running to first base on April 30, Trout was displaying power but wasn’t hitting for average or drawing walks. Altogether, he’s batting .234/.354/.463 with 16 homers, three doubles and 36 RBIs in 66 games.
Soler, meanwhile, has been forced into more action than he’s accustomed to in right field because Trout hasn’t been able to play the position since his return from the IL. Soler was acquired in a trade with the Braves in the offseason to provide some thump in the lineup but it’s mostly been a struggle for him offensively. Soler, though, crushed his 10th homer of the season on a 3-1 slider and is hitting .207/.284/.368 with 31 RBIs in 75 games.