The Los Angeles Angels got a welcome treat on Monday night in the form of Anthony Rendon manning the hot corner and batting fifth in the lineup for four innings against the Oakland Athletics. While he went 0-for-2 and committed an error, the performance was secondary to his healthy return.
When Rendon underwent wrist surgery on June 20, the belief was that the injury was season-ending, similar to his hip surgery during the 2021 season. However, Rendon had no interest in playing it safe and waiting until the offseason. His goal was immediately to return before the end of 2022.
And while he was only able to do so for the final three games of the season, he said that being back on the field before the offseason is extremely beneficial, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
“That was a major factor, just having the peace of mind of going into the winter and having a normal offseason,” Rendon said. “I feel good. It’s kind of a relief off my shoulders.”
The four-inning appearance was planned, as Rendon was unable to complete a rehab assignment before being activated. But interim manager Phil Nevin was impressed with Rendon regardless.
“It’s really a credit to him,” Nevin said. “You hear ‘season-ending,’ most guys would shut it down. Anthony’s been here, been present every day with his teammates, which is huge. We’ve had a lot of young guys come in and out of here and he’s been a mentor to them. I can’t think of any guy who would be much better than that. He’s a World Series champion. The things he’s done in this game, the knowledge he has. It’s a credit to him and the work he’s put in behind the scenes to get to this point.”
Rendon has now completed three years of the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed with the team prior to the 2020 season. Of those three seasons, one was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other two were lost due to injury.
In total, he’s played just 156 of a possible 382 games since signing that contract. He has four years, $152 million remaining on his deal, and he figures to be the Angels highest-paid player in 2023. By returning now, he’s hopeful to get a fully healthy offseason.
Angels tied for longest postseason drought
The Philadelphia Phillies clinched their spot in the 2022 MLB playoffs, making it to the postseason for the first time since 2011. By doing so, they pushed the Angels to the No. 1 spot — tied with the Detroit Tigers — for the longest postseason drought in baseball.