Angels Looking to Replace Anthony Rendon at Third Base: Report

Will the Angels replace Anthony Rendon next season?

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Will Anthony Rendon remain the Los Angeles Angels' third baseman by the time the 2025 MLB season begins?

Rendon's 2024 season was once again marked by underwhelming play and injuries, which has plagued him since he arrived in California in late 2019. Once the National League's RBI leader, an MLB All-Star, and World Series champion, Rendon has yet to live up to billing of when he signed with the Angels on a seven-year, $245 million contract.

Since joining the Angels, Rendon has yet to play at least 60 games in a season. Even when he isn't dealing with an injury, Rendon has missed games due to multiple suspensions. When he is available to play, he remains nowhere close to the player he was at his peak in 2019. Rendon hit above .300 from 2017-19, but has not hit above .250 in each of the last four seasons. He has yet to record 10 home runs in a season with the Angels, or even 40 RBIs.

Rendon's numbers reached new lows in 2024 as he hit just .218 with 14 RBIs and no home runs.

Since the end of the 2024 season, the Angels have made it clear that Rendon will have to earn his place on the team and to keep his spot at third base.

“When Anthony has played, he hasn’t been productive,” Minasian said in September, via Jeff Fletcher of the OC Register. “So he’s gonna have to come in and earn it. There’s no handouts. We’re starting to create some depth, where we have some versatile players that can do some different things, so the best players are gonna play, no doubt about it.”

The Angels are reportedly looking to add a third baseman this offseason. The Angels have already shown they're interested in making moves to compete by acquiring Jorge Soler from the Atlanta Braves to kick off the offseason. Alternatively, the Angels could move Luis Rengifo to third base if 2024 first-round pick Christian Moore emerges at second base as expected, via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

The Angels did move Rendon out of the leadoff spot when he did return from injury in 2024, and now his starting role with the team is in jeopardy. Rendon has two seasons remaining on his contract with the Angels.