New owner: Mike Trout looks (pretty) happy

Yesterday afternoon, it was reported that Arte Moreno had decided to sell the Los Angeles Angels. The owner, who wasn't exactly a fan favorite, will be handing the reins over to Stan Kroenke.

Kroenke already owns, among other teams, the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), the Los Angeles Rams (NFL), and the Denver Nuggets (NBA).

When Kroenke becomes the team's owner, he will surpass Steve Cohen as the wealthiest owner in MLB. And, of course, all of this is sparking a wave of hope among Angels fans, who have been enduring a struggling team for several years.

But the big question was what Mike Trout thought of it all. And last night, the Angels' star spoke out on the subject.

And when you hear him say that a change was needed and that everyone is excited, you can tell that Trout is (pretty) happy.

Mike Trout shared his thoughts on Arte Moreno's decision to sell the Angels, saying there are no hard feelings but that a change was needed. pic.twitter.com/rJbWeevxEX

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 1, 2026

You get the sense that Trout, despite everything, doesn't hold a grudge against Moreno. Moreno gave him a massive contract to make him a lifelong member of the Angels, and you can tell there's still mutual respect between the two men.

Except that Trout, in reality, must be pretty happy to see Kroenke bring a new vision (and deep pockets) to Los Angeles. He's even already done his homework with Zach Neto—the two of them have been chatting with Rams players about Kroenke.

And they heard positive things.

Zach Neto said he and Mike Trout checked in with some Rams players about Stan Kroenke. The scouting report was good.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) September 1, 2026

Of course, many fans would love to see Kroenke help the Angels build a competitive team for Trout, who is nearing the end of his career. Giving him a chance to play postseason baseball and go deep into the fall would be a good thing.

But we also know that Kroenke, unlike Moreno, isn't the one who gave Trout the big contract. And if the Angels continue to struggle, it might be easier for Trout to decide it's better to leave.

Moreno, as we know, never wanted to trade players like Trout and Shohei Ohtani. We'll see if Kroenke takes the same approach.

Mike Trout trying to force his way off the Angels could now be a more “viable option” after Arte Moreno sold the team, per @Buster_ESPN

“Trout always has the option to try to force his way off the Angels, and a new owner is more likely to consider that path than Moreno, who was… pic.twitter.com/2ZVaXPzvn4

— Punchoutpitch (@Punchoutpitch) September 1, 2026

But in the meantime, the sense of optimism among the Angels is shared by Trout, who seems happy to see a new owner take over.

All that's left to hope for now is that Kroenke's Angels will be more competent than Moreno's.

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