Frustrated Angels 3B Anthony Rendon eyes lengthy recovery

Los Angeles Angels oft-injured third baseman Anthony Rendon is dealing with a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring.

Initially placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday, Rendon admitted Friday that he will be sidelined for much longer than that. The team has not set a timetable for Rendon to return but he is expected to miss significant time.

“I’m definitely not going to be back in the 10-day window,” Rendon said. “It’s been four years running now. So I was angry for a few days, frustrated, mad, everything you could imagine because the game keeps getting taken away from me, right?

“I want to win, and I want to be out there. I do everything in my power to stay out there, and it seems like nothing is working.”

Rendon, 33, came up limping after legging out an infield hit to open the Angels’ game against the host Cincinnati Reds last Saturday.

He is batting .267 with no home runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases in 19 games. Rendon opened the season by going 0-for-19 in five games before batting .357 (20-for-56) over his last 14 games.

“I have no idea how long because hamstrings are tricky,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “It’s unfortunate, because he was starting to swing the bat well, but that’s why we have the depth we have. Guys like (Miguel) Sano, (Luis) Rengifo and (Brandon) Drury will have to step up.”

Rendon is in the fifth season of a seven-year, $245 million contract. He is batting .283 with 158 homers and 660 RBIs in 1,135 games with the Washington Nationals (2013-19) and Angels.

He has appeared in just 219 games with the Angels. His 58 games in 2021 were his most in a season wearing an Angels uniform.

–Field Level Media