Trout (ribs) played catch on the field Friday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

There were fears that Trout would be done for the year after reports emerged in late July that the start outfielder was dealing with a rare back condition. He's been adamant that he'll return, however, and that optimism seems to be backed up by his activities. He advanced to tee work Monday and has also hit soft toss in the cage. He'll hit on the field Saturday, per Fletcher.

Interim manager Phil Nevin said Trout (ribs) "feels really good" after hitting off a tee Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 31-year-old began taking dry swings over the weekend, and he quickly progressed to hitting off a tee with no apparent issues. The next step for Trout is batting practice, and from there he'll advance to facing live pitching. The start center fielder remains without a clear return timeline, but an activation in mid-to-late August could be possible if he avoids any setbacks.

Trout (rib cage) took dry swings Saturday and had no issues, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Trout has been out since before the All-Star break due to a rare back condition that caused left rib cage inflammation. The Angels have little incentive to rush him back, as they sit 11.5 games back of a playoff spot, but the star outfielder has indicated that he intends to return this season. Exactly when he's likely to return remains unclear, as he still has several steps to go in his recovery, but it's nonetheless a positive to see him able to swing without issues.

Trout (rib cage) started rotational work Wednesday with the goal of building him back up to the point that he's able to swing a bat, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

According to Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad, Trout didn't experience any issues during the workout, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Still, it's unclear when the superstar outfielder may be able to resume swinging. Trout hasn't played in a game since July 16 but has said that he expects to play again this season, though the organization has no reason to rush him along given that the Angels are currently 11 games out of a wild-card spot.

Trout (rib cage) is scheduled to resume rotational exercises Wednesday and could be cleared to start swinging a bat again soon thereafter, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After receiving positive feedback from Dr. Robert Watkins on Thursday, Trout looks poised to take a small step forward in his recovery from left rib cage inflammation, an injury that resulted in him being placed on the injured list during the All-Star break. A few days earlier, Angels trainer Mike Frostad relayed that Trout's rib issue is related to a rare back condition called costovertebral dysfunction, which could something that the perennial has to manage for the remainder of his career. The condition doesn't sound like anything that will force Trout to seriously consider an early retirement or even keep him out for the remainder of the season, as he reiterated Sunday that he's optimistic about a return to action in the not-too-distant future, per Sam Blum of The Athletic. A more precise timeline for Trout's potential return likely won't come forth until he's not only swinging a bat again, but also incorporating more baseball activities into his rehab program.

Trout (ribs) expects to play again in 2022, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Trout has been diagnosed with a rare back condition due to costovertebral dysfunction, and the Angels' head athletic trainer said Wednesday that the issue will likely be something that the outfielder deals with for the remainder of the season and the rest of his career. However, Trout said after Wednesday's win over the Royals that he expects to play again in 2022. "I've got to stay on top of the routine I do on a daily basis to prevent it from coming back. I feel good where I'm at right now. Every day it's improving. And I feel really good. I felt really good today," Trout said Wednesday. The 30-year-old didn't give a timetable for his return, but he'll meet with team doctors Sunday to help determine his status.

Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad said Wednesday that Trout's ongoing absence due to left rib cage inflammation is related to a "rare back condition" called costovertebral dysfunction, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports. "This is a pretty rare condition that he has right now in his back," Frostad said. "Long-term we do have to look at this as something that -- he has to manage it, not just through the rest of this season, but also through the rest of his career probably."

EDGE Analysis

Though Frostad noted that Trout is starting to feel the benefits of the cortisone shot he received in his rib cage last Thursday, the 30-year-old won't be cleared to resume baseball activities until at least next weekend, as the Angels want to give him a full two weeks off for the injection to take effect. While Trout's placement on the 10-day injured list July 18 was characterized as a rib issue, the injury has created back pain that puts the superstar outfielder at risk of a longer absence than had been expected. Trout's upcoming re-evaluation next week should shed more light on both his rest-of-season and long-term outlook, but fantasy managers should at least stay prepared for the possibility that he doesn't play again in 2022.

Angels athletic trainer Mike Frostad said Wednesday that Trout (rib) won't be able to resume baseball activities until at least Aug. 5, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

According to Frostad, Trout will need a full two weeks off for the cortisone shot he received last Thursday to take full effect, so the superstar outfield will remain in somewhat of a holding pattern for at least eight more days. Because the left rib cage inflammation has kept Trout out of the lineup since July 12, he'll likely need a few days' worth of workouts and potentially a brief rehab assignment to get ramped back up. As such, fantasy managers probably shouldn't count on him playing until at least the second week of August, even if the cortisone shot fully alleviates the pain Trout has been experiencing. Trout's ongoing absence should continue to open up a full-time role in the outfield for Jo Adell, who is day-to-day with a bruised arm but shouldn't be in line for a trip to the injured list.

Trout (ribs) received a cortisone shot recently and won't return when first eligible Monday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Angels initially hoped that Trout would be able to be activated early next week, but he'll spend more than the minimum of 10 days on the injured list. The 30-year-old will continue to receive treatment and will be monitored on a daily basis, so it's still possible that he returns at some point next week.

According to Angels manager Phil Nevin, Trout (ribs) is feeling better, and the team is hopeful that he'll be able to return early next week, per MLB.com.

EDGE Analysis

Trout is eligible to be activated from his stint on the 10-day IL on Monday, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, but it's far from certain that he'll be able to return on that day. Nonetheless, Nevin expressed optimism that the superstar outfielder is getting better, stating, "He feels good today. It's a situation where we had to put him on the IL and hopefully it's not much longer than that. It's something we need to address and access every day. He's getting treatment but he's not there." Trout is slashing .270/.368/.599 with 24 homers and 51 RBI across 326 plate appearances this season, but he had been struggling prior to landing on the IL, batting .167 (6-for-36) with 18 strikeouts and just two walks through 11 games in July.