How Anthony Rendon turned a superstar deal into MLB’s worst contract

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 2, 2025, 15:45 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Anthony Rendon's deal with the Angels is shaping up as the worst contract in baseball. He has earned $168 million over four seasons but appeared in fewer than 250 games. Due to numerous injuries and subpar play, he has contributed little to nothing to the team. Other players have had bad contracts in the past, but Rendon's limited games and massive salary make this one of the largest gaffes in MLB history.

How Anthony Rendon turned a superstar deal into MLB’s worst contract (Image Source: X)

Anthony Rendon got a pretty big contract from the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. It was a seven-year deal and was worth $245 million. So far, he has made $168 million off that contract. But that contract has one major problem: in four years, he has played in fewer than 250 games. That’s not even two full seasons’ worth of baseball. There’s this stupid notion going around that this may just be the worst contract in baseball history.

Anthony Rendon’s deal with Angels might go down as baseball’s worst contract ever

When the Angels signed Anthony Rendon, he was a superstar. He'd just helped the Washington Nationals win the World Series and was one of the league's best hitters. The Angels thought he would be a big part of the team and help them make the playoffs.

But since becoming a part of the Angels organization, Anthony Rendon has missed a lot of games due to injury. He has had problems with his leg, wrist, groin, and the rest of his body. Every year he has been out more than in at-bats. Even when he’s been in, he’s not been hitting the ball like he used to. He’s been batting just way below his numbers and hasn’t had enough juice.
Anthony Rendon is getting a ton of money, but he's not giving the team very much in return. Right now he's making about $672,000/game he has played for this team. That's a bunch of money for very little playing time on the field.

Why this could be worst contract in baseball

There have been other bad contracts in baseball before. Some players got big contracts and didn't do well and didn't get hurt. Chris Davis didn't hit well after he got a big deal with the Orioles and Jacoby Ellsbury missed many games with the Yankees. But Anthony Rendon's contract could be worse than that.
How it gets picked out I think is because of how much Anthony Rendon hasn't played. In 4 years he has not even played 2/3 of the games that he should have, and the Angels are still paying him for more years. That is hurting the team because they can't use those funds to sign other good players.
The Angels have not made the postseason and paid Anthony Rendon this kind of money. There are angry Angels fans out there that even the team is at fault for making that decision. He was supposed to be a superstar and ended up being a giant bust through most of his time with the Angels.
Also Read: Los Angeles Angels’ $245,000,000 Gamble Backfires As Anthony Rendon’s Injury Woes Hit New Low

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article