Anthony Rendon Update Gives Yankees Fans Reason to Be Thankful

This article digs into why, even after some infamous missteps, the New York Yankees are still in way better shape than the Los Angeles Angels when it comes to those huge contracts. Let’s look at the Anthony Rendon deal and stack it next to other notorious Angels signings. You’ll see how Los Angeles has turned free agency into a financial minefield—and maybe why Yankees fans should feel a little luckier than they usually do.

Yankees’ Free Agency Frustrations in Perspective

Yankees fans know the feeling of griping about questionable contracts and uneven roster moves. The winter of 2019 pops up a lot in those conversations.

That offseason, the Yankees made their big move by signing ace Gerrit Cole. But aside from Cole, there wasn’t the usual flurry of flashy additions that fans expect from a team with the Yankees’ wallet.

That so-called inactivity sparked complaints that the front office had gotten too cautious or maybe just lazy. The story goes: the Yankees spend, but not always wisely, and sometimes leave obvious holes unfilled. Sure, some of that’s fair criticism, but it feels a lot different when you line it up next to what the Angels have done lately.

When “Bad” Isn’t Actually Catastrophic

Even the Yankees’ most notorious contracts—like Carl Pavano or Jacoby Ellsbury—look almost mild compared to what’s happened in Anaheim. New York has burned some cash, but they’ve rarely signed a deal that wrecked their flexibility for nearly a decade.

Anthony Rendon and the $245 Million Implosion

The Angels signed Anthony Rendon in December 2019, hoping he’d push them into contention around Mike Trout. Instead, the deal turned into a case study in how one marquee contract can derail a franchise.

Rendon’s contract: seven years, $245 million. On paper, they were getting an MVP-caliber third baseman. In reality, they got a player who couldn’t stay healthy and never lived up to the hype.

A Stark Statistical Failure

Since 2020, Rendon’s played just 257 games. Injuries and off-field issues kept him sidelined, and his total production over that time? 3.9 WAR (Wins Above Replacement).

That’s the kind of value you’d expect from a solid bench guy, not a franchise centerpiece. The money side is even uglier. The Angels basically paid about $62.82 million per WAR during Rendon’s time there.

From 2021 through 2025, he averaged around 41 games per season. When you hand out a $245 million contract, you expect a star, not a part-timer who’s mostly just a payroll headache.

Where Rendon Ranks Among the Worst Contracts in MLB History

MLB’s history is full of regrettable deals, but Rendon’s sits near the top of any “worst contracts” list. The length, the money, the lack of games, and the minimal production—it’s a rare mix.

For Yankees fans, that comparison stings a bit. Sure, Jacoby Ellsbury was a flop, and Carl Pavano became a running joke. But even those deals didn’t reach the same brutal cost-per-WAR or drag down the whole franchise like Rendon’s has for the Angels.

The Angels’ History of Financial Misfires

Rendon’s deal isn’t an outlier. It’s part of a bigger pattern of the Angels spending big but missing the mark. Here’s a quick roll call of their costly mistakes:

• Albert Pujols – Huge contract, paid like a superstar well past his prime.
• Josh Hamilton – Another expensive gamble that went south, on and off the field.

Add it all up, and the Angels have poured about $624 million into Pujols, Hamilton, and Rendon alone. That’s the kind of money that can haunt a franchise for a long, long time.

The On-Field Results: Angels’ Postseason Drought

The most glaring thing about the Angels’ approach isn’t just the wasted money—it’s the lack of wins that followed. Even with generational talents like Mike Trout and later Shohei Ohtani, the Angels have almost nothing to show for it in October.

Since 2010, they’ve made the playoffs just once. Their last playoff appearance was in 2014, and their last playoff win goes all the way back to 2009.

That’s a wild drought for a team that spends near the top of the league and always chases big names in free agency.

Contrast With the Yankees’ Consistency

The Yankees? They’re almost always in the mix. Even in seasons that feel like letdowns in the Bronx, they usually hover somewhere near the playoff hunt.

Their big contracts don’t always age well, but they rarely stop the team from:

• Re-tooling the roster.
• Staying competitive every year.
• Keeping the window open for another playoff shot.

That kind of steady relevance doesn’t just happen. The front office isn’t perfect, but they avoid the kind of disasters that have tripped up the Angels again and again.

Why Yankees Fans Should Feel Thankful

When Yankees fans look back on recent offseasons—questioning moves not made or contracts that fizzled—it’s worth remembering the alternative. The Angels have shown everyone how to waste elite talent and massive payrolls without any real October success.

This Thanksgiving, Yankees fans can absolutely criticize the roster and demand more. But let’s not forget what they’re not dealing with: a $245 million albatross like Anthony Rendon, a $624 million pile of sunk costs, and a playoff record that’s gone nowhere for over a decade.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Anthony Rendon news is a reason Yankees fans should be grateful this Thanksgiving