Anthony Rendon has been out of the Los Angeles Angels lineup since April 20 with a strained left hamstring. It’s another in a long list of injuries that has kept Rendon effectively out of regular playing time since 2020. Rendon was placed on the 60-day injured list shortly after and has been considered a ways away from a return in the six weeks since.
There was a bit of good news on the Rendon front late last week. From Wednesday to Friday, he made huge strides with swinging, throwing and fielding grounders. And while there is still no timetable on his return, the Angels are more confident than ever that he can return this season.
The timeline for Rendon’s return has shifted with the news that he has been cleared for some baseball activity and has progressed well through the early stages of his rehab, via MLB.com:
Rendon started baseball activities this week and said he’s ahead of schedule with his left hamstring strain sustained on April 20. He said on Wednesday that he’s been able to throw and swing the bat in the cages without any issues. He’ll progress to jogging on Saturday, which will give him a better sense of a timeline. But he’s now considered weeks and not months away from returning.
Angels manager Ron Washington still thinks Rendon is a long while away from returning, as he is currently taking ground balls but only ones hit directly to him to avoid lateral movement. But the Angels third baseman has a more positive outlook.
“I think I’m ahead of schedule,” Rendon said. “I’m trying to push it each and every day. Let my body tell me that it’s painful, it hurts or it’s not ready. So we’ll get back as soon as possible.”
While the Angels are clearly not going to contend for the postseason in 2024, it would be nice to have their second-highest paid player be a contributor for some section of the season. Rendon has missed over 100 games in each of the last three seasons, and is currently on pace to do the same this year. He has already missed 46 as of Sunday.
Angels seeking large returns for trade chips
Angels general manager Perry Minasian admitted that the team is closer to selling than buying at the 2024 trade deadline, but rumors indicate that it will be difficult for teams to meet asking price on two outfielders in particular. Jo Adell and Taylor Ward are on the block, but Minasian is seeking giant returns on either player.