The Angels and Anthony Rendon have agreed to restructure his contract, which was due to expire after the 2026 season, according to Sam Blum of The Athletic. As part of that agreement, Rendon will not join the team this upcoming season.
The 35-year-old was due to make $38.5 million in 2026 prior to agreeing to restructure his deal. Per Blum, Rendon’s contract will be deferred over the next three to five years, though the precise details of the payout structure aren’t clear.
Rendon signed a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Angels ahead of the 2020 season. Injuries derailed his career shortly after, and he played in a total of 257 games (out of a possible 1,037) for the team from 2020 to ‘25.
A two-time Silver Slugger and a former MVP candidate, Rendon’s prowess at the plate was nowhere to be found in Anaheim. After recording an OPS above .900 in his final three seasons with the Nationals, Rendon had just one such season with the Angels––the shortened 2020 campaign. After that, he never played in more than 58 games in a season and never recorded an OPS above .712.
Rendon missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing hip surgery, and now the Angels are effectively pulling the plug on his tenure with the franchise early and attempting to move on from one of the biggest free agency blunders in recent memory.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Anthony Rendon Will Not Join Angels in 2026 After Agreeing to Restructured Contract.
