Anthony Rendon Seems to Be Out of Angels' Plans: Report

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 7, 2024

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Anthony Rendon's time on the West Coast has been tumultuous to say the least.

The Los Angeles Angels third baseman has been injured for the majority of his tenure and has performed poorly even when healthy.

Because of his pattern of injuries and poor play, he will likely will not play regularly next season.

The Angels are reportedly aiming to add a third baseman this offseason. Another option could be shifting Luis Rengifo to third base if 2024 first-round pick second baseman Christian Moore is ready for the big leagues out of spring training.

Rendon’s performance hit a new low in 2024, finishing with a .218 batting average, 14 RBIs, and no home runs. Following the season, the Angels have made it clear that Rendon will need to prove himself if he wants to retain his spot on the roster and stay at third base.

Since coming to the Angels, Rendon hasn’t managed to play even 60 games in a single season. When he’s not out with injuries, he's still missed time due to several suspensions. And when he is on the field, he’s far from the All-Star he was back in 2019.

From 2017 to 2019, he hit over .300 consistently, but in the past four seasons, he hasn’t cleared .250 once. He hasn’t reached 10 home runs or 40 RBIs in a season with the Angels, either, which really underscores how far he’s fallen from his peak.

Rendon's potential playing time appears to have shrunk again after the Angels traded for Jorge Soler from the Atlanta Braves. At first, the Los Angeles Angels’ trade for Soler seemed questionable.

For the past eight seasons, Soler had primarily played designated hitter. So why bring him in from the Atlanta Braves, especially with a $13 million commitment over the next two years, when the injury-prone Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon could both need time at DH?

The answer is between the lines. General manager Perry Minasian has made it clear that Rendon will have to earn his spot.

“When Anthony has played, he hasn’t been productive,” Minasian said in September, via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County 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.”