Trout bats leadoff for first time since 2020 as three

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout hit leadoff for the first time since 2020 as the slumping Halos took on the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

“I’m just trying to shake things up and trying to see if I can get some different cohesiveness with my lineup,” manager Ron Washington said.

The Angels entered on a five-game losing streak.

Trout led the American League and was second in the majors with seven home runs but struggled at the plate over the previous seven games. He had gone 3 for 27 with eight strikeouts, including getting caught looking for the final out with the bases loaded in Monday night’s 4-2 loss to the Orioles.

Trout had a .236 batting average, on pace to be his lowest average in March and April in his career. He hit over .300 through the end of April the past three seasons.

It was the 163rd time in Trout’s 14-year, big league career that he topped the lineup, the first since the second game of a doubleheader against Houston on Aug. 25, 2020.