Anthony Rendon close to being bought out after $245 million contract issues

Anthony Rendon’s Struggles with the Angels May Be Nearing an End

It seems that Anthony Rendon’s tumultuous time with the Angels could be winding down. The team is reportedly in discussions to buy out the remaining year of his contract, as mentioned by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.

Gonzalez suggested that if an agreement is finalized, Rendon might consider retiring from baseball altogether.

The 2026 season would have seen Rendon earning $38 million, but he is said to be willing to defer part of that amount to help the Angels with their financial situation moving into the offseason.

This potential buyout could mark the conclusion of Rendon’s difficult period in Anaheim. After leaving the Nationals post-2019 season, he signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, enthusiastic about starting fresh in Southern California.

However, following a commendable but short 2020 season impacted by COVID-19, things took a turn for the worse. Over the next several years, Rendon struggled with injuries and was unable to play more than 58 games in any single season between 2021 and 2024.

On the field, his performance also dipped significantly, with an on-base percentage of .666 and a slugging percentage that left much to be desired over that span. To make matters worse, he missed all of 2025 recovering from hip surgery.

In light of Rendon’s previous comments, it’s possible that stepping away from baseball might not be as difficult for him as one would think.

In mid-2023, Rendon shared with reporters that he had been contemplating retirement for “the past 10 years.” He even admitted he didn’t particularly enjoy playing baseball, stating, “It’s never been a priority for me. This is a job. I do this for a living. My faith and family come before this job.”

He seemed rather candid on “The Jack Vita Show” earlier that year, suggesting that MLB’s long season could use some reconsideration: “We’ve got to shorten the season, man. Too many damn games. 162 games and 185 days or whatever it is. Man, no. We’ve got to shorten this bad guy.”