ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout has a torn ligament in his left thumb and might need surgery that could sideline him for eight weeks.

The Angels put the reigning AL MVP on the disabled list Monday for the first time in his career. The outfielder hurt himself a day earlier making a headfirst slide to steal second base in Miami.

At 25, Trout already is a two-time AL MVP. He is hitting .337 and has 16 home runs, second most in the majors.

Angels General Manager Billy Eppler said an MRI revealed the tear. Team doctor Steve Yoon was scheduled to arrive in Anaheim later Monday night to meet with Trout and discuss his options.

“At this point and time, surgery is an option. But Steve is on the way down here tonight to talk to Mike,” Eppler said. “We’ll sit down and from there, come up with the plan.”

The Angels lost shortstop Andrelton Simmons to a similar thumb injury last season. He had surgery and was out slightly over five weeks.

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Los Angeles was 26-28 going Monday night’s game at home against Atlanta, and the lineup recently missed ailing slugger Albert Pujols.

Trout made his major league debut by playing 40 games for the Angels in 2011. Since then, he’s been a five-time All-Star and has finished in the top two in the AL MVP all five seasons.

A year after hitting .315 with a .441 on-base percentage, 29 home runs, 100 RBI and 30 steals, Trout was off to a dynamic start. He was leading the league in on-base percentage (.461) and slugging percentage (.742) when he was hurt.

ROYALS: Kansas City placed Danny Duffy on the disabled list with an oblique strain and said the left-hander is expected to be out 6 to 8 weeks. Duffy was injured Sunday while covering first base at Cleveland.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Monday: “He’s going to be out for a while.”

Duffy, who was the Royals’ opening day starter, is 4-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 11 starts. He allowed six runs on nine hits and three walks in four-plus innings in a 10-1 loss Sunday to the Indians.

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Duffy says: “This stinks man. I’m very bummed out today. The boys are going to pick me up. I’ll be fresh and ready to go in six to eight (weeks). I’m going to try to come back sooner than that.”

METS: Steven Matz and Seth Lugo are each scheduled to make one more rehab start in the minors before joining New York’s rotation.

In another injury update, General Manager Sandy Alderson said the team hopes slugger Yoenis Cespedes will be ready to come off the disabled list in a week to 10 days – perhaps in time to be the designated hitter during a two-game series at Texas that begins June 6.

Cespedes has been on the DL since April 28 with a strained left hamstring. He felt soreness in his right quadriceps while running the bases in his first rehab game Friday night for Class A St. Lucie and the club decided to hold him out until at least Tuesday.

Yankees: Aroldis Chapman, who’s been on the DL since May 13 with left shoulder inflammation, played catch for a second straight day.

Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (concussion/neck) is not yet ready for baseball activity.

First baseman Greg Bird (ankle) had seven plate appearances in a simulated game and is expected to begin his rehabilitation assignment Thursday.

MARINERS: Right-handed pitcher Felix Hernandez (right shoulder inflammation) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday.

He has missed a month with the injury.


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