Angels' Anthony Rendon Returns Soon, Something That Could Jumpstart The Entire Halos Lineup
The Los Angeles Angels are set to get a much-needed boon to the lineup -- one coming in the form of third baseman Anthony Rendon.
The Angels are trying to keep pace with the rest of the pack in the AL West, and they currently sit 8.5 games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers.
Offense aside from Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani has been an issue for the Halos, and Rendon, who's slated to make his return early this week from a groin injury, has a penchant for coming through with the big hit.
Rendon leads the Angels with a .357 average with runners in scoring position, something that manager Phil Nevin believes could rub off on the rest of the lineup, as he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
“When you see that at-bat and you watch it every day, I think that bleeds into the team, and we have not had that at-bat from Anthony in a few weeks,” Nevin said. “Now you put more pressure on yourself to do that and fill in for him. If you just watch his at-bats, he takes a winning at-bat every time. We’ve missed that at-bat.” (via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register)
And Fletcher found some interesting numbers that at least provides some validity to Nevin's claim.
This season Rendon’s teammates have hit .295 with runners in scoring position in the 30 games that Rendon has started, a number that goes up to .302 when you add Rendon’s production. In the 31 games Rendon has missed, the Angels have hit .187 with runners in scoring position. (via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register)
It's hard to say with any true certainty whether Rendon being in the lineup specifically makes his teammates perform better in clutch situations, but the statistics bear that out.
And, coincidence or not, the impending return of Rendon fills a hole in the Angels' starting nine.
As for whether he can continue to carry his teammates forward when he does come back?
Angels fans will find that out shortly.
