Rendon placed on injured list with strained hamstring

ANAHEIM >> Anthony Rendon has already missed 21 games this season due to various injuries.

What’s another six?

On Tuesday, the Angels placed Rendon on the injured list with a strained left hamstring retroactive to Monday. The third baseman isn’t eligible to return until the Angels’ July 16 home game against the Seattle Mariners, effectively giving him two series and the entire All-Star break to recuperate.

“Anthony by the end of the week might have been able to play,” Manager Joe Maddon said. “I’m not sure. We just had to make sure we’re covered in all areas. I don’t think it’s anything really severe but it’s something I had to do to get through the week.”

The Angels recalled infielder Jack Mayfield from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Rendon’s roster spot. Luis Rengifo got the start at third base Tuesday night

against the Red Sox.

Rendon, 31, is hitting .240 with six home runs in 58 games this season. His bat has declined steeply since 2020, his first season with the Angels, when he hit .286 and finished 10th in American League MVP voting. Rendon signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels in December 2019.

This year, Rendon’s lack of production combined with a seemingly endless string of injuries — a left groin strain in April, a left knee contusion in May — has left him feeling frustrated.

“He’s very — he is frustrated by the whole thing,” Maddon said. “We just want to get him well and out there playing without anything bothering him.

We both know that when that occurs, good things are going to happen for us and for him. It’s just unfortunate. It’s serendipitous.

“We just have to wait until he’s well. Once he’s well there’s a lot of good baseball coming our way. You’ve just got to be patient sometimes.”

Ohtani honored

Shohei Ohtani was named the American League Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday. It’s his fourth career AL Player of the Week award, and his second in the last three weeks. Ohtani batted .286 with six home runs and eight RBIs in six games.

Coincidentally, last week Ohtani also won the fan vote to start the All-Star Game as a designated hitter and was chosen to the AL pitching staff by his peers, becoming the first two-way selection in

All-Star Game history.

Last Friday, Ohtani was chosen the AL Player of the Month for June. Asked Tuesday if Ohtani is having the greatest season ever by a baseball player, Maddon said, “I think he’s in the middle of it. I can’t deny it.”

Also

Outfielder Scott Schebler cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake. The Angels had designated Schebler for assignment Saturday to clear room for right-hander Andrew Wantz on the 40man roster . ... Max Stassi caught Shohei Ohtani for the first time since April 4. Kurt Suzuki had been the catcher in Ohtani’s previous 11 starting pitching assignments . ... Suzuki will catch Andrew Heaney on Wednesday, Maddon said: “I wanted Stassi to see Ohtani and vice versa too.”