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Angels' Anthony Rendon Placed on IL With Oblique Injury

Maren Angus-Coombs

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Angels will be without their starting third baseman for the next eight days at least.

Anthony Rendon was not in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins. According to Rhett Bollinger, Rendon is day-to-day with "left side back soreness." Tuesday, he was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Since joining the Angels, Rendon has dealt with a range of injuries, but this is the first instance of back pain that has caused him to miss a game. Previously, he's dealt with significant and minor injuries to his left knee, right hip, left hamstring, groin, and left wrist.

When he signed Rendon before the 2020 season, Angels owner Arte Moreno expected him to be a consistent fixture in the lineup, a reliable contributor. This was reflected in the seven-year, $245 million contract he received. With an average salary of about $235,000 per game, it's notable that Rendon has only appeared in 247 of 667 possible games since signing the deal.

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register pointed out earlier this month that the Angels have used an astonishing 28 third basemen since the start of the 2020 season, surpassing the number used by any of the other 29 teams:

Consider this: the team with the highest-paid third baseman in baseball since 2020 has also employed the most third basemen overall during that period.

The replacements haven't been effective. Of the 27 players, 14 have not played in a major league game since leaving the Angels.

The 34-year-old Rendon has not played more than 58 games in any of his five seasons. Entering Monday, he has only played in 57 this season.

Rendon hasn’t hit a home run in more than 211 plate appearances, despite a career average of about one homer per 30 plate appearances. His OPS stands at .586, significantly below the league average. Additionally, his defensive performance at third base has been subpar, with -5 Defensive Runs Saved last year.

Rendon made headlines during spring training when he told reporters that baseball wasn't a priority for him.

"It's never been a top priority for me," Rendon said. "This is a job. I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job. So if those things come before it, I'm leaving."

Rendon acknowledged that marriage and having four children have shifted his perspective, but he stressed that baseball is still a priority, even if it's no longer his top priority.

"Oh, it's a priority for sure, because it's my job," he said. "I'm here, aren't I?"

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

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