The Los Angeles Angels suffered an embarrassing loss to the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day. The 8-1 defeat to a White Sox team coming off a historically terrible 2024 season was bad enough. But Chicago nearly added injury to insult.
In Mike Trout’s first at bat of the season, White Sox starting pitcher Sean Burke hit the Angels’ star on the hand with a 95 mph fastball, per Talkin’ Baseball on X. Trout shook his hand in pain and was briefly checked on by the training staff but he stayed in the game.
Mike Trout gets hit in the hand in his first at bat of 2025, but he stayed in the game pic.twitter.com/xPwX7NHZJ6
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 27, 2025
It was Trout’s first Major League at bat since April of 2024. The three-time MVP worked his way back into the Angels’ lineup after suffering a season-ending meniscus tear last year.
Mike Trout avoided injury in Angels’ season opener
The previous season Trout was limited to 82 games due to a broken hamate bone in his left hand. He attempted to come back from the injury but was ultimately placed on the 60-day IL, which ended his season.
Given Trout’s long recovery from a hand fracture, it was painful for Angels fans to see him get hit in nearly the same spot during his 2025 debut. He was wearing extra protection on his left hand, which likely helped cushion the blow. But any HBP in Chicago during March is going to leave a mark with temperatures in the 40s.
Despite Trout’s significant injury history over the last four years, there’s reason for optimism in LA this season (aside from the Dodgers). Trout is healthy on Opening Day and confident he can return to form as one of the best players in baseball.
After spending his entire professional career in center field, the Angels moved Trout to right this season in an effort to preserve his health. He’s adjusted well to the new position and hopes to make it through the year without an injury setback.
Unfortunately, Trout and the Angels did not get off to a good start in 2025. LA’s new $63 million pitcher Yusei Kikuchi did his job, keeping the team in the game through six innings. But things fell apart for Los Angeles in the eighth.
Rookie reliever Ryan Johnson got lit up by the White Sox. Chicago touched Johnson up for five runs on four hits in 1.2 innings. The Angels promoted Johnson to the Opening Day roster even though he never threw a single pitch in the minors. He was a second-round draft pick in 2024 and jumped straight to the majors. It’s possible Johnson would have benefited from some lower level experience.
Trout survived the plunking but couldn’t get anything going at the plate. He went 0-2 with a walk in his 2025 season debut.
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