Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout revealed Thursday that he has been diagnosed with a rare back condition but assured his fans that his "career is not over," ESPN reported.
The team's athletic trainer, Mike Frostad, said Wednesday that the baseball star's doctor "doesn't see a lot of" costovertebral dysfunction diagnoses. Trout quickly clarified, however, that he doesn't see the condition as a substantial impediment.
"I think he meant that I have to stay on top of the routine I do on a daily basis to keep it from coming back," Trout said of Frostad's comments. "I'm appreciative of all the prayer requests, but my career is not over."
Trout, a 10-time MLB All-Star, had left a game against the Houston Astros earlier this month with what team doctors first thought were remedial back spasms. But a week later, he was placed on the injured list with rib cage inflammation.
Since the game, Trout has received a cortisone injection and has every intention to continue the season sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, Angels doctors said they would play it by ear.
"He's going to have a follow-up here once we get back and we'll just kind of see what the doctor thinks at that point," Frostad said.
The news serves as a significant hitch for the star, who temporarily became the league's highest-paid player in 2019 when he signed a massive contract worth up to $426.5 million.
Trout was fielding an impressive comeback season before the injury as well, having been sidelined most of 2021 with a calf injury. In 79 games this year, Trout has hit .270 with 24 home runs and 51 RBIs.