Rendon: Baseball has never been top priority
Angels third baseman
Anthony Rendon, who signed a seven-year, $245 million deal when he joined Los Angeles before the 2020 season, said at spring training that baseball has “never been a top priority for me. It’s a job. I do this to make a living. My faith and my family come first, before this job.”
Rendon, 33, has missed at least half of the last three seasons. He has had hip surgery (2021), wrist surgery (2022) and a fractured shin (2023). In the last three seasons, Rendon — who had become a star with the Washington Nationals — hit .235 with a .701 OPS.
He said his willingness to keep having medical procedures in order to play shows his commitment.
“You think I like going under the knife and being in pain the majority of my time?” he said. “I can’t even pick up my kids. I can’t walk. You think I enjoy that?”
Manager Ron Washington defended Rendon: “He wasn’t saying he doesn’t care about baseball. He’s here. He’s fired up. He’s ready to go.”
Nationals: Principal owner Mark Lerner told the Washington Post that the Lerner family has decided against attempting to sell the team.
The family announced in April 2022 that it was exploring a sale of the club, which Forbes values at $2 billion. One wouldbe bidder, Maryland billionaire David Rubenstein, purchased the Baltimore Orioles last month with Mike Arougheti.
Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Nationals have gone 217-329 and sold off stars such as Juan Soto, Max Scherzer and
Trea Turner.
Mets: The club signed first baseman Luke Voit to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to major league camp, ESPN reported. The former New York Yankees slugger will compete with prospect
Mark Vientos for at-bats as designated hitter. Voit, 33, hit .221 in 22 games with Milwaukee last season after hitting 22 homers with San Diego and Washington in 2022. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he hit 22 homers for the Yankees to lead the league.
Rays: Infielder Amed Rosario and Tampa Bay agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, ESPN reported. Rosario, 28, hits left-handers well and could be used at shortstop, second base and left or right field. He spent last season with Cleveland and the L.A. Dodgers, hitting .263 with 70 runs, 58 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 142 games. The Rays are without shortstop Wander Franco because of his legal problems.