The Anthony Rendon era hasn’t gone as planned for the Los Angeles Angels.
Prior to the 2020 season, L.A. made a major financial commitment to the two-time Silver Slugger.
The team offered him a seven-year contract worth a whopping $245 million, and he gladly accepted the deal.
It marked the end of his time with the Washington Nationals.
He accomplished a lot in D.C., including winning a World Series title in the 2019 season.
He was a perennial MVP candidate there, and his value was at an all-time high when he entered free agency.
That’s why Angels bought high on Rendon, and in 2021, they’re paying the price.
Evaluating His Stint With The Team So Far
Rendon’s 2020 season with the Angels was pretty sturdy.
Albeit over 52 games, he batted .286 with a .915 OPS, and he ultimately finished 10th in the American League MVP race.
Unfortunately, the 2021 season has been a different story for the slugger.
He’s already done for the year with a hip injury, so we can evaluate his campaign in full.
He’s going to finish with a .240 batting average, .712 OPS, 92 OPS+, and 0.0 WAR.
The Angels are essentially paying Rendon $28 million this year for… a 0.0 WAR.
Tough year for Anthony Rendon, who is now out for the year with hip surgery. He is in the second year of a 7-year, $245 million contract with the #Angels.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 4, 2021
Not great.
Additionally, he is going to finish the year with a very poor -0.3 WAR on defense.
It Was The Right Idea
Adding a superstar like Rendon was the right idea for L.A.
After all, he was just 29 at the time of the deal, and he was coming off of multiple MVP-caliber seasons.
Further, the principle idea of getting Mike Trout some help was the right call.
And now that we know the Angels have another generational talent in Shohei Ohtani, it’s even easier to call the Rendon signing a good idea in theory.
After all, doesn’t a trio of Trout/Ohtani/Rendon (when Rendon is at his best) sound like an exciting core?
It certainly does.
It’s Not Too Late For Rendon To Turn Things Around
One bad season doesn’t mean Rendon is washed.
He is just 31 years old, and if his track record is any indication, he is going to bounce back.
However, the Angels and their fans are going to have a bad taste in their mouths until Rendon gives them a reason not to.
The ultimate goal is to return to the postseason and compete for a World Series title, and unless L.A. accomplishes that with Rendon as a key contributor, it’s going to be hard to call the contract a success.
Anthony Rendon played in 58 games this season. He hit six homers and drove in 34 runs. Had a .712 OPS.
It was a tough year for Rendon, who has 5 years/$188 million left on his contract.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) August 4, 2021
Wrap-Up
Rendon’s top priority right now should be to get healthy and prepare for the 2022 season.
For the Angels, the team’s focus should be to stay above .500 for the rest of the way, and if possible, maybe hang around in the Wild Card race for as long as possible.
L.A. sold at the deadline and is facing a six-game deficit in the Wild Card picture, so it’s not reasonable to expect the club to make a serious postseason push, but you never know.
Angels fans are hoping that there are brighter days ahead in 2022.
When you really get down to it, all MLB fans want to see Trout and Ohtani playing meaningful baseball in October.
Hopefully, that’s in store in the future.
NEXT: Anthony Rendon Has Not Moved The Needle For The Angels
Anonymous says
will go down as the worst contract value in mlb history