ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anthony Rendon has agreed to restructure the final year of his $245 million, seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press late Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels had not announced any developments with Rendon, who did not play last season. following hip surgery.
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The team and Rendon amended the deal to restructure the remaining $38 million owed to the third baseman in 2026, presumably by spreading the money over time.
Rendon is still on the roster and continuing his rehab at home in Houston, but his horrible tenure with the Angels may be over.
Rendon’s massive free agent contract paid almost no dividends for the Halos. The former Washington Nationals star has been injured for the majority of the last five seasons and has played in just 257 games in an Angels uniform, hitting .242 with 22 homers, 125 RBIs and a .717 OPS.
If Rendon doesn’t play in 2026, he will have only appeared in about a quarter of the Angels’ total games in his seven seasons with the team.
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Rendon led the majors in RBIs, earned an All-Star selection and won a World Series ring in 2019 to cap a stellar four-year streak for Washington. After playing reasonably well for Los Angeles during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was nowhere near that player over the next four years with the Angels, who neither made the playoffs nor had a winning record during his tenure.
Rendon suffered injuries to his groin, his left knee, his left hamstring, his left tibia, his oblique muscles, his lower back, both wrists And both hips over the last five years.
Rendon also alienated Angels fans with public comments in which he appeared to say he didn’t like baseball, although he tried to clarify his connection to the game as a business relationship that is not as important as his family or his religion. Rendon has previously criticized the length of games and the excitement level of baseball, saying he doesn’t watch the sport.
Luis Rengifo and Yoán Moncada played third base extensively last season for the Angels. Both are currently free agents.
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Rendon’s deal could top the long list of expensive player acquisitions that have worked out terribly for the Angels during owner Arte Moreno’s tenure, including the signings of Gary Matthews Jr., Josh Hamilton and Zack Cozart and the unsuccessful trades for Vernon Wells and Justin Upton.
