Angels looking to replace Anthony Rendon at third base: report

Will Anthony Rendon stay? Los Angeles Angelsthird baseman by the start of the 2025 MLB season?

Rendon’s 2024 season was once again marked by poor play and injuries that had plagued him since he arrived in California in late 2019. about when he signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels.

Since joining the Angels, Rendon has yet to play at least 60 games in a season. Even when not suffering from an injury, Rendon misses games due to numerous suspensions. When he’s ready to play, he’s nowhere near the player he was at his peak in 2019. Rendon hit above .300 from 2017-19 but fell below .250 in each of the last four seasons. He has yet to hit 10 home runs in a season with the Angels or even 40 RBIs.

Rendon’s numbers hit a new low in 2024, when he hit just .218 with 14 RBIs and no home runs.

Since the end of the 2024 season, the Angels have made it clear that Rendon will have to earn his spot on the team and maintain his spot at third base.

“When Anthony played, he wasn’t productive,” Minassian said in September, via Geoff Fletcher from OK Register. “So he’s going to have to come in and earn it. There are no handouts. We’re starting to build some depth where we have versatile players who can do different things, so there’s no doubt the best players will play.”

The Angels are reportedly looking to acquire a third baseman this offseason. The Angels have already demonstrated their interest in competing by acquiring Jorge Soler from the Atlanta Braves earlier in the offseason. Alternatively, the Angels could move Luis Rengifo to third base if 2024 first-round pick Christian Moore emerges at second base as expected in Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

The Angels did push Rendon out of the No. 1 spot when he returned from injury in 2024, and now his starting role on the team is in jeopardy. Rendon has two seasons remaining on his contract with the Angels.