Angels Could Get Another Star Player Back This Season

It's been another lost season for the Los Angeles Angels, but one of their big-money star players is hoping it isn't over for him just yet. Out since wrist surgery in June, third baseman Anthony Rendon is surprisingly still hoping to play this season. 

Anthony Rendon is taking BP on the field today for the first time since his surgery. He wants to come back and play, not just to serve the suspension but peace of mind before the winter.

Seems the plan is for him to be activated, serve the 5 games, then play the last week or so

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) September 12, 2022

Originally, it was thought to be a season-ending injury, but Rendon, who has been participating in full defensive drills as well as BP, is anxious to come back, just to prove to himself that he's healthy going into the offseason. Last year he had hip surgery, and it weighed on him all through the winter. 

“That’s always been the thing, to come back,” Rendon said on Monday. “That’s what I was pushing for the whole time. I’m going to push myself, push myself. 

“(It's all about) trying to get that peace of mind,” Rendon explained. “Last year sucked, obviously. To be able to play going into the winter, knowing that I was 100% healthy going into the winter. Then I can have a complete normal offseason.”

In addition, if he's activated, he can serve the five-game suspension resulting from his part in the Angels’ brawl with the Seattle Mariners back in June, when he was right in the middle of it despite the cast on his wrist.

pic.twitter.com/fxdiThXanX

— Angels MiLB (@AngelsMiLB) June 26, 2022

The idea would be to serve his five games, then play a few, to make it legit.

Rendon has had his second straight brutal season in LA thus far, with a .228 average, a .707 OPS and just five home runs in the 45 games he played before the injury.

Photos: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports