The worst freeloading player on earth is finally leaving the Los Angeles Angels. Although the seven-year mega contract technically expires next year rather than this year, they agreed to a buyout of the remaining contract, bringing an end to the so-called "Rendon era."
ESPN reported on the 31st (Korea time), "The Los Angeles Angels and Anthony Rendon agreed to a buyout of the remaining contract, effectively ending Rendon's troubled tenure with the Angels, who was once an All-Star third baseman."
Rendon joined the Angels on a seven-year, $245 million mega contract (about 353 billion won) after leading the Washington Nationals to a World Series title in 2019. He was scheduled to earn $38 million (about 54.7 billion won) in the final year of the contract in 2026, but agreed to receive the payment spread out over several years. The specific payment structure has not been disclosed.
Rendon and his agent Scott Boras began discussions with the Angels this winter to restructure the remaining contract shortly after Rendon missed the entire 2025 season due to hip surgery. ESPN said, "Rendon, 35, has not officially announced his retirement. However, he is not expected to play in the 2026 season. As he did throughout this season, he plans to continue his rehabilitation at his home in Houston, Texas."
Rendon will occupy a roster spot with the Angels in the 2026 season, but the team can place him on the 60-day injured list to free up a roster spot.
Born in 1990, Rendon starred in 2019 with the Washington Nationals, hitting .319 with 34 home runs and 126 RBIs to help lead the franchise to its first World Series title. Riding that success, he signed a seven-year, $245 million mega contract with the Angels the following year and joined the team in a splashy move.
In his first season after the move, which was reduced to 60 games because of COVID-19, Rendon managed just a .286 average with one home run and nine RBIs in 52 games, marking the start of his reputation as a "freeloader." Expected to form the majors' most formidable cleanup trio with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, he was instead plagued by injuries from his second season on and never once played more than 60 games in a season through this year.
Moreover, Rendon, who was set to earn $38 million this season, underwent hip surgery and did not appear in a single game. From 2020 through this year, he betrayed the trust of the team and fans for six straight seasons.
Rendon's six-season totals with the Angels amount to just 257 games, a .242 average, 224 hits, 22 home runs, 125 RBIs, 112 runs and an OPS of .717. In a 162-game major league season, that averages out to about 43 games per season.
Even if a player is ill, good character can earn fans' sympathy, but Rendon provoked controversy with some of the most notorious remarks in history. Rendon said, "Baseball is not my top priority in life. It's just a job," and "I play baseball to make money. Family comes first." He also said, "A 162-game regular season is too long. The season should be shortened," which drew outrage from the major league baseball community.
ESPN criticized, "Rendon appeared in only one-quarter of the games the Angels played over seven years. His WAR (wins above replacement) was only 3.7. He constantly moved in and out of the injured list with groin, knee, hamstring, shin, oblique, back, wrist and hip injuries. Rendon's seven-year contract was like a burden. His admission that 'baseball is not my top priority' also became a yardstick for judging his poor production."
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