Mike Trout Reportedly Set To Sign $430 Million Contract With Angels

BOSTON (CBS) -- Once upon a time, aka earlier this month, Bryce Harper signed the richest contract ever in U.S. professional sports. But Harper's time atop the salary mountain will be short-lived.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Trout is set to sign a massive contract extension with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. That deal will pay him $430 million over 12 years -- an average annual salary of $35.83 million.

Haper's deal, signed this month with the Phillies, will pay him $330 million over 13 years -- an annual salary of $25.38 million.

Trout, 27, has been regarded as the best player in baseball since his first full season in 2012. In over 1,000 career games, he owns a .307 batting average and .990 OPS. He's won two American League MVP Awards, and he's finished in second place of MVP voting four times; his worst placement in MVP voting was a fourth-place finish in 2017, when he was limited to just 114 games.

Trout has led the league in on-base percentage for the last three years, has twice led the league in slugging percentage, has led the league in OPS three times, has led the league in runs scored four times, and has led the league in walks three times.

There's little doubt that Trout has been and should continue to be the best player on the planet. The real question will be whether the Angels can build around him. They've been unsuccessful in doing that thus far, as the Angles have made the postseason just once during Trout's career, and they have not won a single playoff game since Trout entered the league in 2011.

Trout's contract will mark the fourth massive deal handed out this offseason, along with Harper's in Philadelphia, Manny Machado's in San Diego, and Nolan Arenado's in Colorado.

Trout had been set to become a free agent after the 2020 season.

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