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Mike Trout returns to Angels lineup as designated hitter

Angels' Mike Trout warms up in the on deck circle during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium on Thursday.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
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And then he was back, which is kind of important since the Angels consider Mike Trout not only their best player but the best player in baseball.

After missing the last five games, and six of the last seven, with a tight left hamstring, Trout returned to the Angels lineup Thursday as their designated hitter.

“It’s good to be back,” Trout said. “I’m 100%.”

Long term his absence may have been brief, but it wasn’t easy for him or the team. The Angels went 2-4 without him.

“It’s frustrating,” Trout said. “You want to be out there. Treatment after a while gets boring.”

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Trout had an MRI exam Sunday that returned clean, boosting his confidence the injury was not more serious than initially diagnosed.

“When the MRI came back clean it made me mentally clear,” he said. “I was worried a little bit, but you hear news like that and it makes you confident. And when you don’t feel any pain, that’s even better.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia previously had expressed some reservation about starting Trout at DH instead of his customary center-field spot, concerned his leg would struggle to remain warm sitting on the bench between at-bats.

But Scioscia said after discussing the situation with the team’s medical staff, he was assured it would not be an issue.

“They think it’s a better transition,” Scioscia said. “They’re really comfortable that they can keep him loose in between at-bats, and not have to expand his workload to go running balls from gap to gap today.”

Trout at designated hitter meant normal DH Albert Pujols made only his second start of the season at first base.

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Trout said he would ride a stationary bike or run on a treadmill to keep his legs loose between innings.

In his first two at-bats Thursday, he exploded out of the batter’s box on grounders and ran well.

Bailey still out

Reliever Andrew Bailey had to temporarily back off his throwing program when his inflamed right shoulder gave him some slight discomfort throwing off a mound. He was back to long toss Thursday.

“I really don’t have a timetable or anything like that,” Bailey said. “Get back on the mound pretty soon, that’s my goal. Then we’ll continue to go from there.”

Bailey had not given up a run in his first three games, when the shoulder flared up and he went on the 10-day disabled list April 12.

Short hops

Danny Espinosa, hitless in his last 34 at-bats — and in a two-for-52 skid — did not start for the second time in three games. Said Scioscia: “We’re definitely a better team with Danny doing what he can do. [But] the team concept comes first.” … Trout attended the Ducks’ Game 7 win over Edmonton on Wednesday night after the team returned from their day game in Oakland. Said Trout: “Game 7 was sick.” … Scioscia said closer Cam Bedrosian (right groin strain) was not yet ready to pitch off a mound and that reliever Huston Street (right lat strain) had returned to the team complex in Arizona to continue his rehab and should be throwing to hitters next week.

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sports@latimes.com

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