Will the Angels Try to Trade Anthony Rendon This Offseason?
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The Angels could definitely try to move Rendon this offseason, but moving Rendon and the remaining 3 years $105 million remaining on his contract would be a herculean effort. But what if they did and what would that look like?
Teams looking to add a veteran like Anthony Rendon are teams that see themselves in "win now" mode, or are a key piece or two off being real contenders. For example, the Arizona Diamondbacks' third baseman Evan Longoria will be a free agent this year and the team could use a veteran amidst their young, rising core. The Blue Jays are another example of a team with young stars and a third baseman set to be a free agent.
Before even getting into what the Angels would need to cover themselves to move him, Rendon's play on the field needs to be looked at. A team trading for the 33-year-old 3B would not be trading for an injury-bitten player who had a .701 OPS over the past 3 years. No, that team would be trading for the player from the 4 years prior to that where he led the league in doubles twice, RBIs once, and had an OPS of .949. During that time he played in 147, 136, 146, and 52 games each season, with the last of those being the shortened 2020 season.
Anthony Rendon has 3 years and $105 remaining on his contract. Unless Arte Moreno pays a hefty portion of that salary, any deal involving Rendon likely includes the Angels giving up a prospect for another team to take on Rendon. For instance, if the club plays %65 of Rendon's remaining salary, the team trading for him would pay an average value of $12.25 million a year - an amount just under what the Blue Jays pay Matt Chapman. Simply put, the more salary the Angels absorb, the better the prospect, if any, they receive.
In short, the Angel's ability to move Rendon this offseason relies entirely on themselves. Not too long ago many considered Rendon the best third baseman in the game. With the right trade partner and the willingness to take on some of the salary, a world exists where Rendon no longer calls Anaheim home.
