Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout won’t play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday because of back spasms, and his spot on the roster will be filled by Seattle Mariners’ first baseman Ty France.
Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins will replace Trout as the starter in center field.
Trout, the three-time American League Most Valuable Player, missed his fourth straight game on Saturday. The Angels had a scheduled off day on Sunday.
The 10-time All-Star left the Angels’ game against the Houston Astros with the back issue last Tuesday, and the hope was he could play in the abbreviated two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. He was scratched from starting lineup shortly before game time Saturday when his back didn’t feel right as he took pregame swings.
“Smart thing was just not play,” Trout said after the game Saturday, a 7–1 loss to the Dodgers. “I didn’t want it to get worse.”
Trout, who turns 31 next month, is expected to take part in festivities at the All-Star Game, being played in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.
The Angels resume play after the break on Friday, beginning a six-game road trip that will take them to Atlanta and Kansas City. In all, Trout will have nine full days off before the Angels face the Braves.
On the season, Trout is hitting .270 with 24 home runs and 51 RBIs in 79 games. A calf injury limited him to just 36 games last season, and he has played as many as 140 games only once since 2016.
The Mariners’ France, 28, was batting .305 with 10 homers, 18 doubles, and 47 RBIs in 79 games entering play Sunday. It is his first All-Star selection.
