Anthony Rendon Signs With the Los Angeles Angels
Another big shoe has dropped in a busy MLB offseason as hitting phenom Anthony Rendon has inked a deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
First noted by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the now-former Washington Nationals slugger will join the Halos on a seven-year, $245 million deal. The deal, which includes a full no-trade clause, will give Rendon an average annual salary of $35 million per year. The deal also includes an opt-out clause. The signing comes amid a busy few years for the Halos who just last year signed Mike Trout to a deal worth $35.5 million per year. Now the Angels have the second and third highest deals right behind Cole with $36 million per year.
The signing comes on the heels of a failed attempt at Gerrit Cole for the Angels and a hotbed of signing activity across the MLB.
A Dangerous Lineup Forming
It’s now perfectly clear that Angels owner Arte Moreno has made it a priority to surround Trout with more talent to make a postseason run. Now with Rendon, the reigning MVP will aim for just his second postseason trip.
The addition of Rendon also saves what was a sub-par third base group last season. Those who positioned themselves at the hot corner for Los Angeles last season ranked 24th in OPS (.713) and RBI according to Fangraphs.com. A lack of power from the plate also hurt third basemen for the Halo’s. Last year Angels third basemen combined for the fourth-worst mark in slugging percentage. Rendon, on the other hand, played lights out posting a career-best 126 RBI which led all of Major League Baseball. The seven-year veteran also posted season-highs in slugging percentage (.598) and home runs (34) along with a batting average of .319. That included hitting .328 with 15 RBI and a trio of homers across 17 postseason games.
A Flash of Leather
Rendon was often thought of as one of the best defenders at the hot corner playing in at least 136 games five times across his career. That included 146 games played in 2019 alone. Along with his offensive dominance, his defensive skills helped Rendon to his first-ever All-Star game appearance.
Ultimately adding Rendon was one of the best things Los Angeles could have done. It not only gives the team an immediate offensive boost it also greatly improves the defense. It also shows to the rest of the MLB that the Halos are committed to returning to dominance. The potential that rested within an already solid lineup may actually be tapped into with the addition of Rendon.
