Anthony Rendon has participated in just 257 out of a possible 708 games since signing his $245 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. Unfortunately, it may be some time before he appears in his 258th game, as the former All-Star is anticipated to be sidelined for an extended period, potentially the entire season, following hip surgery.
Rendon, who will turn 35 in June, has been placed on the injured list 12 times since 2021. In 2024 alone, he was on the injured list three times due to hamstring, lower back, and oblique issues, finishing the season with a .218 batting average, no home runs, and 14 RBIs over 57 games.
The Angels made a significant investment in Rendon at the height of his career before the 2020 season, shortly after he had an impressive 2019 season where he batted .319 with 34 home runs, a 1.010 OPS, and led the MLB with 126 RBIs, playing a crucial role in the Washington Nationals’ first World Series championship that year.
Since joining the Angels, however, Rendon has struggled to replicate that success. In his five years with the team, he has recorded one fewer RBI and a dozen fewer home runs than he did in the entire 2019 season. His contract is set to expire after the 2026 season.
In recent years, Rendon has expressed that baseball has “never been a top priority” for him, voiced concerns about the length of the MLB season, and mentioned contemplating retirement shortly after starting his major league career. He also faced a suspension in 2023 for an incident involving an A’s fan.
Rendon has not played more than 60 games in a season since joining the Angels, averaging just 51 games played during his tenure. In contrast, while with the Nationals, he boasted an .859 OPS and appeared on MVP ballots in five different seasons.