Historic Milestone
Mike Trout added another chapter to his long history of tormenting the Texas Rangers on Saturday night. The Los Angeles Angels star hit a lead-off double in the sixth inning in Arlington, his 99th career extra-base hit against the Rangers. That surpassed George Brett for the most extra-base hits by an opponent since the franchise moved to Texas in 1972.
Trout is also the leader in home runs against the Rangers since that move, with 49. Reggie Jackson holds the overall record against the franchise, including the Senators days, with 54.
A Swing Adjustment
The historical double was also notable for how it was achieved. Trout had acknowledged that one of the main issues in his swing over the past couple of years is getting his weight forward too soon, which causes his head to move and his eyes to lose track of the ball. To remedy that, he began using a small step back with his right foot just before he swings — a technique he has used intermittently throughout the season. On Sunday, he said the step is here to stay for the rest of the season.
"I'm going to keep it," Trout said. "I've told myself that. Sometimes, if you're not on time with it, that's when things go wrong. I was just trying to keep it simple the last two weeks or so. But I went back to it the last day in Houston, and I'm seeing the ball better."
The step was apparent when Trout hit a 109 mph double on Saturday, the first time since Aug. 13 he had a ball over 105 mph. He finished 2-for-4 on the night, helping the Angels to a 3-0 win.
A Season of Struggles and Success
Trout's season has been a tale of two halves. He went to the All-Star break with 18 homers and an .863 OPS. In the 33 games since, he has hit just two homers with a .691 OPS. He was in a 1-for-17 slump before getting two hits on Saturday.
Trout attributes the downturn to his swing mechanics rather than fatigue from playing center field. He has played 93 games in center this season. He missed three weeks after tweaking his hamstring in June.
"The biggest thing is my swing is just long," Trout said. "When I'm good, it's short and compact and good things happen. Right now, I'm just up and out on a lot of pitches. That's just due to not recognizing stuff. I have an idea what they're going to do to me, throwing me fastballs up and in. I try to keep the same approach, but when my swing is short and quick, I hit those pitches. When it's out and up and long, I swing under it."
Trout was the designated hitter on Sunday and said he talks with manager Kurt Suzuki about rest. The Angels activated Yusei Kikuchi to start Sunday and designated Michael Fulmer for assignment, leaving six starters and seven relievers. Suzuki commented on bullpen depth and front office decisions. Moisés Ballesteros got his first career major league start at first base on Sunday. Ryan Watson has not allowed a run in his first six games since being claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.
Dominance Over Texas
The Angels have given Texas trouble all season. They have won their first season series against the Rangers since 2021. Texas is 4-8 against the Angels this season, and since July 7, 2025, the Rangers have dropped 11 of their last 18 and 13 of their last 22 to the Angels.
Trout's career numbers against Texas are formidable. He was batting .317 against the Rangers in 756 at-bats over 208 games before Saturday. His two-hit night on Saturday was part of a recent surge: Trout had three hits in back-to-back games on Aug. 12 and 13, the first time since May 4-6, 2018. He has four games with three hits or more this season.
The Angels and Rangers continue their series on Sunday, with Trout in the lineup as the designated hitter.