Has Anthony Rendon grown weary of playing professional baseball or is the toll of being in Anaheim finally catching up with him? He made a regrettable choice of words during Monday’s spring training session, igniting the new season of L.A. Angels baseball.
Rendon, a player who signed a staggering $245 million contract with the club in 2019, confessed to the media that he does not consider baseball a ‘primary focus.’
While some context may offer him the benefit of the doubt — Rendon ‘prioritizes’ faith and family over the sport — the 33-year-old’s track record of missed games raises more questions than answers about his future in baseball.
“It has never been a top priority for me,” Rendon revealed on Monday.
Last season, Rendon participated in only 43 games for the Angels, posting a batting average of .236/.361/.318 in his limited playing time, with two home runs and 22 runs batted in. He started the year on a rocky note in 2023 after engaging with a heckler during a visit to Oakland.
Like many of us, Rendon does not particularly ‘reverence’ his job. However, as a millionaire athlete, how difficult could it truly be to show up for work?
“This is a profession. I do this to earn a living,” Rendon added. “My faith and my family take precedence over this job. So if those things come before it, I’m walking away.”
Later, Rendon resorted to the most clichéd excuse in sports to justify his diminishing passion for the game, claiming that his presence at training camp for the dispirited Angels alone is a sign of dedication.
Rendon’s history of controversial remarks has already cast doubt on baseball as a fading objective for the former All-Star and World Series champion. Out of a possible 546 games for the Angels since signing his lucrative contract, Rendon has appeared in just 200 contests.
Under the new leadership of skipper Ron Washington, Rendon will have to choose between being fully committed or completely disengaged from the team.
“Oh, [baseball] is definitely a priority because it’s my job,” Rendon emphasized. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
Despite the struggles of the Angels, MLB superstar and Rendon’s teammate Mike Trout announced on Monday that he intends to stay with the organization instead of seeking greener pastures.
Throughout last season, potential trade suitors in the MLB eyeing top-tier talent had their sights set on Trout and former Angel Shohei Ohtani, as the Angels floundered in the AL West. With few tangible incentives to cite, Trout remains loyal to Anaheim for the love of the game — an intangible that Rendon could certainly benefit from.
The Angels concluded last season with a record of 73-89.
Follow Alejandro Avila on X. Alejandro Avila resides in Southern California and previously reported on news for the LA Football Network. A Jeopardy expert and disgruntled sports enthusiast, he is renowned for having watched every movie and possessing a constant craving for dessert.
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