According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, the Los Angeles Angels and third baseman Anthony Rendon are reportedly discussing a possible buyout of the final year of his seven-year, $245 million contract, signed in December 2019. Rendon is still owed roughly $38 million for the 2026 season.
Rendon spent the first seven years of his career with the Washington Nationals, where he established himself as one of the league’s top hitters. He led MLB in doubles in each of his final two seasons with 44 apiece, and in 2019 he paced the league with 126 RBIs. During his time in the NL East, he earned an All-Star selection, won two Silver Sluggers, and finished in the top 15 of MVP voting four different times. His 2019 season culminated in helping the Nationals capture a World Series title over the Houston Astros.
Two months after that championship run, he signed his long-term deal with the Angels. His first season in Anaheim came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, in which he appeared in 52 of 60 games and posted a .286/.418/.497 slash line with a 150 OPS+, finishing 10th in MVP voting. In retrospect, that unusual season—with empty stadiums and cardboard cutouts—turned out to be the peak of his Angels tenure.
Over his first six seasons with Los Angeles, Rendon totaled just 22 home runs, 125 RBIs, and a .717 OPS across 257 games, never appearing in more than 58 games in a single year.
Injuries have plagued him throughout his time with the Angels. Since joining the club, he has dealt with a long list of ailments, including multiple groin and hamstring strains, knee and shin contusions, hip impingements on both sides, wrist inflammation and surgery, low back inflammation, and a left oblique strain. He missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from hip surgery.
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