Angels' Mike Trout joins Mays, Aaron, Bonds, Robinson, Rodriguez on historic MLB record list

Billy Heyen

Angels' Mike Trout joins Mays, Aaron, Bonds, Robinson, Rodriguez on historic MLB record list image

Mike Trout is one of the greatest players to ever step foot on a baseball diamond.

Just look at the names in the headline: Willie Mays. Hank Aaron. Barry Bonds. Frank Robinson. Alex Rodriguez.

That's the club that the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim legend just joined on Saturday.

Playing at Coors Field, Trout launched the 400th home run of his MLB career.

He now is part of the 400-homer, 200-steal, 86 Wins Above Replacement club.

Injuries sapped Trout of much of his world-beating talent, but even now, he's a potent hitter.

In his prime, though? There was no one like Trout.

He ran like the wind, hit the ball to the moon and leaped practically over fences to rob home runs.

This was an all-world middle linebacker stuck into centerfield and told to get get the ball. He always did.

At the plate, that short, compact, potent swing brought fear to so many pitchers.

Trout could still make a run at 500 home runs if he wants to. He'll be a sure-thing Hall of Famer on his first ballot.

But even before those things happen, he deserves the moment he got Saturday, when his milestone put him in a group of the greatest players to ever play baseball. It's exactly where Trout belongs.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle