Advertisement

Mike Trout informs Kole Calhoun of Angels’ mega-deal via FaceTime

Angels center fielder Mike Trout, making a catch in front of right fielder Kole Calhoun in a spring-training game, called his teammate early Tuesday with news of his $426.5-million, 12-year deal with the team.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
Share

It was too early Tuesday for Kole Calhoun to remember the exact time he found out the course of the Angels’ future had changed dramatically. All he knew was his phone was ringing and that Mike Trout’s name was blinking up at him from the screen, requesting to be connected on a FaceTime video call.

Calhoun was trying to sleep in before the Angels hosted the Colorado Rockies in a night game at Tempe Diablo Stadium, but he rose out of bed. Trout wouldn’t have been calling if it hadn’t been for something important — something like making headway on a life-altering, 10-year extension that will guarantee he gets $426.5 million over the next 12 years of his still-burgeoning career.

“He told me he wasn’t going to be here today and I said, ‘All right, congrats,’ ” Calhoun said several hours later in the Angels clubhouse, where Trout was noticeably absent. “I knew what was going on. It was just cool, especially for him and his wife and for his mom and dad. Everybody knows a lot about him and his life and what a great guy he is. Couldn’t happen to a better person.”

Advertisement

Starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was selected 40th overall by the Angels in the same draft where Trout was chosen with the 25th pick, made his own attempt at a video call shortly after he woke up to text messages informing him of the news. He was shocked Trout answered.

“Very Jerry Maguire-esque,” Skaggs said. “I think it’s great. He’s going to go down as the best player ever, and he’ll go down as an Angel in the Hall of Fame. Greatest Angel of all time. Mr. Angel. Mr. Everything.”

Trevor Cahill to start opening day

Manager Brad Ausmus announced that right-hander Trevor Cahill will start on opening day in Oakland on March 28.

Cahill, who was a second-round pick of the Athletics in 2006, played for them from 2009 to 2011 and made 20 starts for his original team last season, is in his first year with the Angels. He signed a one-year, $9-million contract in December.

The move was somewhat unexpected. From the outset of spring training, it seemed left-handers Skaggs and Andrew Heaney would compete for the Angels’ opening-day nod, but injuries thwarted those chances. Skaggs has been dealing with left forearm fatigue and hasn’t made a Cactus League start since March 5, and Heaney has been sidelined twice this spring because of elbow inflammation.

Advertisement

Heaney is progressing, Ausmus said, but will begin the season on the injured list. Skaggs is scheduled to take his next turn on the mound Wednesday night.

“We were kind of juggling with the injuries,” Ausmus said. “We weren’t sure. Ultimately, I thought Cahill was the best fit.”

For now, the Angels’ rotation will feature Cahill, Matt Harvey, Felix Pena, Skaggs and Jaime Barria, in that order. Harvey, who sat out a few days at the start of spring training because of a gluteal strain, is in line to start the Angels’ home opener April 4.

maria.torres@latimes.com

Advertisement