Angels star Mike Trout is planning on trying out a face guard for Monday’s spring training game.
Trout was hit in the helmet by a pitch during Sunday’s game and says that “sealed the deal” for him to wear the face guard, something he has thinking about previously.
Mike Trout, who got hit in the helmet by a pitch yesterday, said he’s going try wearing a face guard with his helmet, starting today. “I was thinking about it before, but that sealed the deal,” he said. #Angels
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) March 12, 2018
Despite the extra safety it offers, face guards have not been widely accepted in baseball for a variety of reasons. Some players believe they prohibit their ability to see, others believe they are bulky and then there is the chorus of people who simply believe they are unsightly.
Will Trout stick with the face guard? Who knows. But, a player the caliber of Trout giving it a try will perhaps open the door to others. Trout has a much larger appeal to fans than Alex Torres who was mocked when he wore a protective hat to the mound in 2014. Torres lasted for the 2015 season and then vanished from the major leagues despite a 2.68 ERA over 154 1/3 big league innings.
