Many fans would say that Anthony Rendon’s time with the Los Angeles Angels has been a failure. He signed in the winter of 2019 to a 7-year, 245 million contract and hasn’t lived up to expectations thus far. But a few stats say this team needs him on the field daily.
Anthony Rendon’s Value at the Plate
A narrative that has taken shape over the season has been the Angels lack of ability to hit with runners in scoring position. Even though some base-level stats lean toward the opposite being true in certain situations. Rendon is hitting .370 with runners in scoring position. This is just a base-level stat, but it does show that Rendon is having high success in this situation.
This alone would help the Angels in an area they need to improve upon. The Angels are already a top-ten offense without Rendon and his return adds another weapon to an already deep lineup. He is a proven hitter who could be the spark the Angels offense needs.
There might be a bit of a Rendon factor with the Angels. Similar to the Pujols factor the St Louis Cardinals had with future Hall of Famer, Albert Pujols. A hitter that adds value to the lineup by just being there. Rendon might not be the hitter he once was, but he can still add value. His days of hitting .330 with 30 home runs might be over, but not the fear he brings.
Stable Left Side of the Infield
Is Rendon a great defender? He has made 7 errors in 30 games. To put it in perspective, the most errors he made was 11 back in 2019 for the Nationals. The reason for the mistakes could be blamed on the regular first baseman, Jared Walsh, being out. That said, there is reason to believe that Rendon’s errors will drop as the season progresses.
Fortunate for Rendon, having a young shortstop to his right in Zach Neto takes the pressure off him having to cover more ground. That alone could help limit his errors and ease him back in after having a sore groin. On top of Neto at short, the Angels have depth at third, allowing them to rest him as needed.
The positive side is Rendon being able to play third daily. Stability on defense can be noticed in a long season. Pitchers are more confident that plays can be made behind them. Other fielders don’t overextend themselves. It’s a domino effect that leads to a more fluid team on defense. Small things have a tremendous impact as the long season progresses, especially when the Angels are in limbo in a division that got tougher in the offseason.
A Fully Healthy Team
The Angels will be nearly at full health with Rendon’s return. Apart from Logan O’Hoppe, the ideal starting lineup is back. This would be the first time the team has had this lineup all year, and we are in June. It sounds unbelievable to think the Angels are now getting the team that was intended.
There are a few things that getting Rendon won’t fix, however, it is a step in the right direction. More than likely the other issues won’t get resolved until the trade deadline draws near.
Being at full health is a win in itself. The Angels stayed afloat in the division while shuffling around players to make things work. The season is getting closer to the halfway mark and the All-Star break. With a lot riding on this season internally in the organization, anything that can help them get into the postseason is welcome.
Photo Credit: © Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned:
Anthony Rendon, Albert Pujols, Jared Walsh, Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe
