The Los Angeles Angels are finally pulling the trigger on what many fans have long called baseball’s most infamous contract.
Anthony Rendon, the third baseman whose seven-year, $245 million deal has been a sore point for the team, is set to be bought out.
With the 2025 season behind him—and no games played—Rendon is expected to retire, bringing an end to a saga that has frustrated fans for years.
A Season Lost to Injury
Rendon didn’t step on the field at all this year, spending the entire 2025 season rehabbing from hip surgery.
While the exact terms of his buyout are still unclear, sources suggest deferred payments may be part of the deal, allowing the Angels to clear payroll while giving Rendon some compensation for the final year of his contract.
The High Hopes That Never Paid Off
When Rendon signed with Los Angeles in 2019, he was coming off a career-defining season with the Washington Nationals.
He hit a career-high 34 home runs, drove in 126 RBIs, and posted a batting average of .319, topping it off with a World Series championship.
The Angels were convinced they had landed the best third baseman in baseball and rewarded him with a record-setting deal.
Injuries and Limited Play Define His Time in LA
But the dream didn’t last. Over seven years, Rendon only played in about a quarter of the possible games for the Angels.
He had a decent showing in the shortened 2020 season, but injuries soon piled up—groin, knee, hamstring, shin, oblique, back, wrists, hips—you name it.
From 2021 to 2024, he appeared in just 205 out of 648 potential games, slashing only .231/.329/.336.
Even at his healthiest, Rendon never played more than 58 games in a season and hasn’t hit a home run for the Angels since July 1, 2023.
By February 2025, the team announced he would miss the entire season as he recovered at home in Houston.
Rendon’s Attitude Toward Baseball
Part of the frustration with Rendon was his own admission that baseball wasn’t his main priority.
He openly said he had little interest in accolades, fame, or even the grind of the sport—viewing it primarily as a job rather than a passion.
That frankness, combined with his injuries and lack of production, made him an easy target for fan criticism.
Fans Celebrate the End of the Contract
Social media quickly erupted with comments about the conclusion of Rendon’s tenure in Los Angeles.
Some called it “the worst contract in MLB history,” while others joked about it being a “heist” or a “speedrun” to unlikability.
For many Angels fans, the buyout feels like the final closure on one of the most disappointing free-agent signings in recent memory.
What Comes Next for the Angels
With Rendon’s contract resolved, the Angels can finally redirect resources and focus on building a healthier, more consistent roster.
For fans, it’s a relief. For Rendon, it may be the end of a long, injury-filled journey, and perhaps the start of a life beyond baseball.
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