Former Washington Nationals Hero Now Known for Ugly Long-Term Contract

A former Washington Nationals star has not come close to living up to the expectations of his massive contract.

Aug 10, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (6) fields the ball during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

With Patrick Corbin hitting free agency this offseason, there isn’t a single player left on the Washington Nationals roster who was a part of their 2019 World Series Championship team.

They are a cautionary tale of how quickly a team can go from being on the mountaintop to floundering in the cellar. Since that season, the most wins they have recorded in a single season is 71, which was accomplished in 2023 and 2024.

Better days are certainly on the horizon as a young core has emerged as the foundation of the franchise. With a few veteran additions, whether it is in free agency or via trade, they can start winning more games and moving up the standings.

Of course, it is easy to throw money at players hoping they fix the problem. Identifying who truly fits the game plan and can help elevate the team is the challenging part.

There are so many instances in baseball where a free agent addition hasn’t panned out exactly as the franchise had hoped. One of the biggest whiffs in recent memory is a player who left Washington for a big-money deal elsewhere.

Former third baseman Anthony Rendon was a star in the making. In the first seven seasons of his career, he made one All-Star team, finished in the top 11 of the MVP voting five times and took home a Silver Slugger Award.

He was incredible in the postseason they took home the title. After an 0-for-3 start in the Wild Card round, Rendon hit 20-for-58 the remainder of the postseason with 10 walks and only nine strikeouts.

Opposing pitchers just could not get him out as he tore the cover off the ball. He roped seven doubles and three home runs while knocking in 15 runs across 16 games.

That led to the Los Angeles Angels signing him to a massive seven-year, $245 million deal, which his play and future projections certainly warranted. Alas, he hasn’t come close to living up to those expectations and has the single-worst contract in baseball in the opinion of Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.

With two years remaining on the deal, and a cost of $38 million per season, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting near. That is good because things aren’t getting any better, as 2024 was the first time in his career that he was a negative WAR player.

With zero home runs in 206 at-bats, it is hard to envision things ever turning around. His contract lands in the No. 1 spot because there isn’t a player who has provided their team with less despite that price tag.

“Worse, Rendon’s not-so-subtle disinterest leaves almost no room for hope," Stavehagen wrote. "Rendon will be paid handsomely, and eventually the Angels will be able to move on from what will go down as one of the worst contracts in MLB history.”

His future with the franchise could very well be in doubt. General manager Perry Minasian has said the best players will take the field. Rendon will have to earn his spot or face being released.

But, as Stavenhagen noted, he may not care if that is what it comes down to. Rendon is going to be paid either way and will be known as one of the biggest busts in MLB free agency history.