Believe it or not, Anthony Rendon is headed to the injured list. The third baseman will be sidelined with a left hamstring strain this time. In a corresponding move, the Angels selected the contract of Ehire Adrianza and placed Robert Stephenson on the 60-day IL to make room on the active roster.
Rendon injured his hamstring while running to first during Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. The team did not announce a timetable, and it’s currently unclear when Rendon will return. The ailment is the latest injury to a player that has quickly become one of the most detested by fans in the game.
Angels Place Anthony Rendon on the Injured List
After signing him to a seven-year deal worth almost $250 million, the Angels have received very little from Rendon. However, after a bad first week, he has quietly been one of the game’s best hitters this year. Since April 5, Rendon has hit .357 in 56 at-bats with an OPS of .823. He did this while exhibiting a solid approach at the plate and not striking out a lot.
Anthony Rendon has played only 219 games since the Los Angeles Angels signed him to a 7-year, $245,000,000 contract in December 2019 and he might not be playing in Game 220 for a while.pic.twitter.com/aUtpNNn0y6
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 21, 2024
While it’s a small sample size, it looked like Rendon was finally becoming the solid bat the Angels signed him to be. His hot stretch made it easy to believe that new manager Ron Washington worked his magic with another player.
Unfortunately, the latest injury is more of the same for the high-priced veteran. 2024 represents Rendon’s fifth season in Anaheim. In his Angels career, Rendon has appeared in just over 38 percent of his team’s games.
Additionally, his on-field performance has left much to be desired. Rendon has only produced an OPS+ above 100 just one time, and that was during the shortened 2020 season. While his teammates seem to love him, his time with the Halos has been nothing but a disappointment. Rendon heading back to the injured list is just another reminder of that.
In the meantime, the Angels will rely on Miguel Sanó, Brandon Drury, and Adrianza to fill in at the hot corner in Rendon’s absence.
Main Photo Credits: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
