Mike Trout feels that having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee was a better alternative than postponing the procedure and being a designated hitter the rest of the season.

"It was an option they put out there," he said. "It would have been just maintaining the pain level of it. The day I got the MRI and it showed [a tear], I was in a lot of pain, so it would have been a tough road for the rest of the year to bear that. I felt the best option for me was to get it right and be fully healthy to come back soon."

In 1,518 career games, Trout has been the DH for the Los Angeles Angels only 81 times and has a .214 batting average.