Mike Trout to sit out home run derby again

Reporting from St. Petersburg — Mike Trout made the All-Star game for the fifth consecutive year, but the Angels center fielder again opted not to take part in the home run derby.

Monday’s derby, at San Diego’s Petco Park, would have been Trout’s first. In recent days, he left open the possibility he would participate. Tuesday, he made up his mind.

“I just don’t want to do it,” he said. “It’s a long two days. Eventually, I’m gonna try to do it, just not this year.”

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Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said he did not discuss the matter with Trout. Two years ago, Trout was invited to take part and declined, citing Scioscia’s desires.

Trout missed his first start of the season Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays before pinch-running in the ninth inning. He had been the major league leader with 145 consecutive games started, but Scioscia opted to rest him on Tropicana Field’s suboptimal surface.

“It’s been coming for a while,” Scioscia said. “He just keeps plowing ahead. It’s a good day, with the turf, to get him off his feet a little bit.”

The Angels play five more games in the season’s first half before they fly home from Baltimore on Sunday evening. After the Tuesday festivities, Trout will spend the rest of the All-Star break in California. Last year, he flew home to New Jersey from the game in Cincinnati.

Trout is besting his career batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage this season. Sixteen American Leaguers have hit more homers than his 17 this season.

Short hops

Outfielder Craig Gentry has returned to the Angels’ spring-training complex in Arizona. On May 23, he ended a minor league rehab assignment because of a personal medical condition the team has not disclosed. He last played in the majors April 25 before he was placed on disabled list with a lumbar spine strain. …

Infielder Cliff Pennington continues to rehab his hamstring strain at the Arizona facility and will not rejoin the Angels until after the All-Star break.

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