The Los Angeles Angels now have two of the wealthiest offensive players in Major League Baseball. On Wednesday, the Angels signed third baseman Anthony Rendon of Richmond, Texas to a seven-year contract worth $245 million. Rendon now joins Angels outfielder Mike Trout of Vineland, New Jersey, who is going to earn $36 million in 2020 before his $430 million extension over 12 years kicks in.
Rendon led Major League Baseball with 126 runs batted in during the 2019 Major League Baseball regular season. He also led the National League with 44 doubles. An all-star for the first time, Rendon also batted .319, with 34 home runs, 117 runs scored, 174 hits, three doubles, five stolen bases, 80 walks, a .412 on-base percentage, a .598 slugging percentage, 326 total bases, was hit by a pitch 12 times and had nine sacrifice flies.
In the postseason, Rendon played an integral role in helping the Nationals win the 2019 World Series. He batted .328 in 17 playoff games with three home runs and 15 runs batted in. Rendon also scored 12 runs, had 20 hits, seven doubles, walked 11 times, had 36 total bases and three sacrifice flies.
Rendon was also the National League silver slugger at third base in 2019. He will now have to make the adjustment to hitting in the American League and learn the tendencies of different pitchers.
Expect Trout to continue to hit second for the Angels in the batting order with Rendon third. Last year, Trout was the American League most valuable player as he led the junior circuit in on base percentage (.438) and slugging percentage (.645).
Scoring runs should not be the problem for the Angels in 2019. Preventing runs from occurring will be. The Angels do not have a great pitching staff and are in search of an ace. They have acquired starting pitchers Dylan Bundy from the Baltimore Orioles and Mike Mayers from the St. Louis Cardinals, along with relief pitcher Parker Markel from the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, none of these three pitchers should have a significant impact on the Angels in 2020.
