As Ann Perkins said in Parks and Rec, “everyone loves a good comeback story.” MLB is seeing one of the best comeback stories they have had in years with the return of Trey Mancini. The last time Mancini appeared in a major league game was July 31st, 2023, with the Chicago Cubs. After that game, he was DFA by the Cubs and spent the next two seasons stuck in different organizations’ minor league systems. But after years of grinding and fighting, he finally got a chance when the Los Angeles Angels called him up.
He wasted no time re-introducing himself to baseball fans by having a three-hit game in which he scored and drove in a run, in a 5-4 Angels loss. While he went 0-for-2 in the second game he played, he logged another RBI with a sac fly. Although it’s only been two games, Mancini is putting together one of the most inspirational stories we have seen this season. But how did we get here, and can Mancini earn a permanent spot on the Angels roster?
Trey Mancini Should Be A Role Model For Everyone
At one point in his career, the thought of Mancini not being in the majors for over two years would have been insane. When he was with the Baltimore Orioles, he was a pretty productive player. Over six years in Baltimore, he appeared in 701 games, registering a stat line of .270/.334/.463 with 117 home runs, 350 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 116. He also missed the 60-game 2020 season due to surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his colon. He was the bright spot on some struggling Orioles teams.
But things went downhill after he left Charm City. During the 2022 trade deadline, the Orioles sent him to the Houston Astros as part of a three-team deal. The Astros hoped he could make their lineup deeper and push them to a World Series. While the Astros won the World Series that season, it was not because of Mancini. In 51 games, he slashed .176/.258/.364 with eight home runs, 22 RBIs, and a 76 OPS+. These struggles followed him to Chicago, resulting in his being DFA midway through the season.
Mancini shows what determination and sticking with something can do. He worked on his struggles over these past two seasons and put up solid numbers. While it did not result in a spot on an MLB roster, it allowed him to keep getting chances. It has finally paid off with the Angels. It appears that, at least for the short term, he should see consistent playing time. This should give him a large enough sample size to put up decent numbers and show that he can still be a major league contributor.
While Mancini’s story is impressive and he’s off to a good start, he needs to keep it up to stay in the majors. He was only in the majors because Vaughn Grissom and Adam Frazier were placed on the 10-Day IL. There is no official timeline yet, but both are expected to be back at some point this season. It’s possible that when they get healthy, Mancini is DFA’d and sent back to Salt Lake City. But if he can build off this start and show he’s back to being the hitter he was with the Orioles, the Angels might have no choice but to keep him.
Regardless of whether Mancini stays with the Angels for the rest of the season, his story is inspirational. It’s a reminder that if we put the work in and stay with it, good things will happen.
