John Lepore | December 12th, 2019
Anthony Rendon has signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 7-yrs/$245 million. There are no deferred payments, he has a full no-trade clause and there are no opt-outs. The former Washington Nationals third baseman has been one of the best in the game for a few years now. Let’s take a look at what he brings to his new squad.
Anthony Rendon set career highs in just about every offensive category in 2019. He slashed .319/.412/.598 and had 34 HRs with an NL-leading 126 RBI. Rendon finished third in MVP voting behind Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich. It was his third finish of sixth or higher. His underlying numbers support his improvement, especially in the power department, as he also set career highs in HH% (44.7), HR/FB% (15.9), and Pull% (42.1). Rendon’s plate discipline also speaks to his offense being sustainable as he had a minuscule 5.0% SwStr in 2019.
He isn’t all offense though. Rendon has 18 DRS in his career at third base. That is ~3.7 DRS/150. For someone who came up as a second baseman, he has definitely adapted to the hot corner. The former first-round pick out of Rice University in 2011 also showed he can handle pressure going 20-61 with three HRs and 15 RBI in his 17 playoff games this year helping the Nats win their first championship.
The Los Angeles Angels are getting an absolute stud at third. Although the position is deep, Rendon’s all-around game is definitely worth the money. Rendon has been fairly durable throughout his career and is only going to be 30 years old in June. Even if he does decline in the field, he will likely adapt well to first base and can now DH in the AL. Either way, the Angels got someone who can help Mike Trout reach the goal of winning a World Series.
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