One Very Expensive Gamble: How a 35-Year-Old Third Baseman’s Contract Backfired for the Angels
When the Angels signed Anthony Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million deal, the Angels thought that they were getting a top third baseman in the MLB with championship experience to work alongside Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Instead, his time in Anaheim has been defined by injuries, inconsistency, and disappointment. Rendon has appeared in just over 250 games for the Halos in the last five seasons. Recently, the Angels' general manager stated that Rendon has yet to resume baseball activities as he’s still recovering from hip surgery in the spring.
Rendon’s first season with the Angels provided a glimpse at what could’ve been when, in 2020, he appeared in 52 games in the pandemic-shortened season. In those 52 games, he batted .286 with nine home runs and finished with a .915 OPS to finish 10th in AL MVP voting. After the odd season that was 2020, 2021 would be a real look at what Rendon could offer in a full 162-game season. Unfortunately, that’s when things went south for both parties.
In 2021, Rendon logged his highest number of games as an Angel with 58 appearances. However, his 2021 season ended early after groin, knee, and hamstring issues led to a right hip impingement during rehab. A wrist injury required surgery in 2022, and a fractured tibia cut short his 2023 campaign. The trend continued in 2024, as hamstring and oblique strains once again kept him off the field. Then, in 2025, Rendon required surgery on his other hip, which took him out of commission for the sixth year out of the seven-year contract.
The injuries are just one part of the story. The real impact of Rendon’s contract comes in what the Angels could not do while paying him. Locked into nearly $35 million annually for a player who could not stay hot on the field, or at least remain in the field. The Angels lacked the flexibility to address pitching holes, build depth, or pursue other roster upgrades that would have widened a competitive window with Trout and Ohtani. The Angels paid for star power but got back limited production, just 224 hits, 22 home runs, a .242 BA, and a .717 OPS over 257 games.
As the 2025 season has ended and as 2026 approaches, Rendon’s final year under contract, the Angels face a few decisions. Release Rendon and free up a roster spot, retain him and give him a final opportunity to play, or ride out the contract recovering from injury. Beyond the missed games and lost production, the $245 million gamble will serve as a very costly lesson. Even the most talented free agent cannot guarantee success, and the cost of failure can echo across an organization for years. For the Angels, it is a reminder that future success will require smarter investments, deeper rosters, and a focus on building sustainable home-grown talent rather than chasing high-priced stars.
