MLB icon Mike Trout speaks glowingly about St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That much is sure. Trout has a .299/.410/.580 career slash line with nearly 400 home runs, over 1,600 hits, three Most Valuable Player trophies, 11 All-Star appearances, and nine Silver Slugger awards. He's been one of the best players of this generation.

Therefore, when Trout, someone who has played well over 1,500 games in 33 different stadiums, speaks about a fanbase and a city, we should all listen.

Mike Trout has nothing but kind words and respect for the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans.

In a pre-game interview before Tuesday night's game, Trout spoke with reporters about his zeal for the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans. Joey Schneider of Fox2 posted clips of Trout's interview.

"I love coming here. I love playing here. Obviously, when Albert (Pujols) was here, he talked so much about it, and to be able to play here and experience it, and you know, the fans are unbelievable," said Trout of St. Louis. "When I saw the schedule come out and I saw St. Louis was on the schedule, I circled it. I've always loved coming here. The day that I came here with Albert last time, it was awesome...The fans are unbelievable. They just enjoy the baseball game, and they appreciate you playing hard. You feel that. You see it."

St. Louis Cardinals' fans have been known throughout baseball as one of the best fanbases in baseball, and hearing someone as well traveled and professional as Mike Trout echo those sentiments is reassuring.

In his interview, Trout mentions a moment back in 2019 when Cardinal legend Albert Pujols returned to St. Louis for the first time since departing via free agency seven years prior. Fans showed out in droves for the former first baseman, and that memory has stuck with Mike Trout to this day.

Trout's time with Albert, a soon-to-be Hall of Famer in his own right, had a big effect on the outfielder's career. "My career wouldn't be like this, how it is now, without him...He had all the answers. He experienced everything...What he meant to this city, this organization, you felt it. You can just tell this is Albert's city."

Albert played 12 total seasons with the Cardinals, and few players in baseball history can rival his peak from 2001-2011. Albert's coaching career has since taken off after his retirement from the game, and he's on many fans' short lists as a future manager of the Cardinals himself.

This is just Mike Trout's third time visiting Busch Stadium, and he has a career .261/.345/.391 slash line in St. Louis. He hit one home run in 2023, and he had a .917 OPS in a three-game series back in 2019.

The allure of the Cardinals has been its history, its fanbase, and its commitment to its players. Mike Trout isn't the first outsider to speak so highly of the franchise, and he certainly won't be the last.