1:40 p.m.: Anthony Rendon isn’t officially retiring, according to Jeff Fletcher.
1:15pm: The Angels and Anthony Rendon have agreed to restructure his contract, deferring $38 million owed over the next three to five seasons, reports Sam Blum. Rendon will not return to the team, effectively ending his tenure with the Angels.
A Costly Experiment Gone Wrong
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The Angels are moving on from Anthony Rendon after a disappointing and injury-plagued run in Southern California.
- Rendon’s seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels proved to be a significant underperformance.
- The Angels will defer $38 million of Rendon’s remaining salary over the next three to five seasons.
- The move frees up financial flexibility for the Angels to pursue other free agents this offseason.
- Rendon’s time in Anaheim was marked by frequent injuries and a controversial incident with a fan.
The Angels’ gamble on Anthony Rendon didn’t pay off. The team and the veteran infielder have agreed to a contract restructuring that will defer $38 million owed over the next three to five seasons, signaling the end of Rendon’s time with the club. While not a formal retirement, Rendon will not return to the field for the Angels.
The deal, first reported by Sam Blum, provides the Angels with much-needed financial breathing room as they navigate the offseason. It’s a stark contrast to the optimism surrounding Rendon’s arrival in 2020, following a stellar run with the Washington Nationals.
Early Promise, Then Decline
Initially, the signing looked promising. Rendon played in 52 of 60 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, slashing .286/.418/.497 with nine home runs. He delivered the star-level production the Angels had hoped for, reminiscent of his 2017-2019 performance with the Nationals, where he slashed .310/.397/.556.
However, injuries quickly derailed his Angels career. Hip surgery cut short his 2021 season, followed by wrist surgery in 2022. He missed the entire 2023 season due to a second hip surgery. Even when he did play in 2023 and 2024, a fractured tibia, torn hamstring, and oblique strain limited him to just 90 games.
What was the extent of Anthony Rendon’s injury issues with the Angels? Rendon played in only 257 games for Anaheim, a fraction of the 1032 games he could have played, slashing .242/.348/.369 with 22 home runs in 1095 plate appearances.
After his strong 2020, Rendon’s production plummeted. In his remaining 202 games with the Angels, he hit .231/.329/.336 with subpar defense, becoming a replacement-level player plagued by injuries.
Off-field issues also arose in 2023 when Rendon was suspended for four games and fined by the league after a video surfaced of him grabbing an Oakland Athletics fan by the shirt following an altercation.
Looking Ahead for the Angels
While the Angels weren’t expecting much from Rendon in 2026, the restructured contract provides financial flexibility. The exact details of the deferrals remain unclear, but it could free up between $40 and $70 million for the Angels to pursue other free agents, according to reports.
Potential targets include Alex Bregman and NPB star Kazuma Okamoto at third base. Other notable free agents still available include Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Tatsuya Imai, whose posting windows are closing soon—Imai’s on January 2nd and Okamoto’s two days later.
Prior to the Rendon restructuring, RosterResource projected the Angels’ payroll at approximately $172 million, $34 million less than their 2025 level. This new arrangement could further reduce that figure, giving general manager Perry Minasian ample resources to improve the team.
