Major League Baseball says it has suspended Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon for a physical confrontation with a fan. The suspension was initially listed at five games but later reduced to four games after Rendon apologized. He’ll begin serving the suspension immediately.
MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill made the announcement while noting that the suspension is for Rendon’s “actions involving a fan last Thursday in Oakland.
MLB has suspended Anthony Rendon 5 games after an investigation of this incident pic.twitter.com/p8ZVmfMQpO
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) April 3, 2023
Rendon, who was also fined an undisclosed amount, grabbed the fan by his shirt as he was making his way out of the third-base dugout and into the tunnel that leads to the visitors’ clubhouse. The incident occurred at RingCentral Coliseum right after the Angels’ 2-1 loss to the Oakland A’s. Rendon accused the fan of calling him a “b—-“.
Tough go of it in Anaheim
Rendon is approaching the midway point of a seven-year, $245 million contract that has thus far been a massive disappointment. There have been injuries galore: to his left groin, left knee, left hamstring, right hip and right wrist which have limited Rendon to 105 of a possible 324 games from 2021 to 2022, during which he batted .235/.328/.381.
He was a .290 hitter in Washington where he spent his first six big league years. With the Nationals, he made an All-Star team, won two Silver Slugger Awards and helped lead the franchise to its first and only World Series title in 2019.
Had a blast celebrating the #WorldSeriesChampions @Nationals in Washington D. C.! Anthony Rendon – “I love baseball”. To me that is what stands out the most about this team – they all love the game and have fun playing it. #FINISHEDTHEFIGHT ❤️⚾️ @fastbal84 @DanielJohnsonWx pic.twitter.com/89oAfCpGfU
— Jennifer Cavanaugh (@jcavanaugh711) November 3, 2019
Fans on Twitter were quick to react to the suspension. Some stated the obvious:
Rendon has completely fell off since winning the World Series with the Nationals
— Jimmy Scoops (@jimkryjer) April 3, 2023
Anthony Rendon is the sole reason we will never see Trout and Ohtani win a world series together. This dude is the most over paid player out of every major sports league
— vegas davis (@vegas_davis_) March 31, 2023
A dark cloud has hung over Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon since he signed his massive deal heading into the 2020 season. Since signing, Rendon has played 157 games across three seasons. Even when healthy, the production has not matched his numbers from Washington. Time will tell if he can return to his All-Star form; with each passing year, it looks less and less likely.
Overall it was a very bad day for the Angels who picked up another unforced error in the PR department. The teams radio station Angels Radio AM830 fired the Athletic’s Sam Blum for bringing “negativity” to their beat reporter roundtable. In other words Blum was being honest or as Howard Cosell once said “telling it like it is”.
I have let the Angels radio team know that I will no longer appear on the “Reporters Roundtable” either. https://t.co/1MpRKIHv5G
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) April 3, 2023
Everyone predict below the next major PR disaster for the Angels this season. We’re 4 days in a we’ve got a player assaulting a fan, and then the whole beat writer fiasco.
— JoAdellisTrashSZN (@NetoOhoppefan) April 3, 2023
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