Rangers' Hoped-For Free Agent Acquisition Anthony Rendon Signs With Division Rival Angels
LOS ANGELES (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - It was not to be for the Texas Rangers.
The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to sign third baseman Anthony Rendon to a seven-year deal worth $245 million on Wednesday night at the Winter Meetings in San Diego.
Rendon was the top off-season target for the Texas Rangers.
They had recently met with Rendon, a Houston native.
Rendon is the third prized free agent to strike a big-money deal at this week's baseball winter meetings. He'll join three-time MVPs Mike Trout and Albert Pujols on a team that's made just one postseason appearance in the past decade.
The Angels had missed out on free agent right-hander Gerrit Cole, who agreed to a record $324 million, nine-year contract with the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.
"With our flexibility, if we miss a big player there's still very talented players that are accessible in the free agent and trade market right now," Angels general manager Billy Eppler said earlier Wednesday. ""We turn our attention there."
Rendon, who has played all seven of his major league seasons with Washington, drove in a career-best 126 runs while helping the Nationals capture the franchise's first World Series championship this year. Rendon's 19.9 Wins Above Replacement, per Fangraphs, over the past four seasons trails only Trout, Boston's Mookie Betts and Milwaukee's Christian Yelich among position players.
Washington had remained in contact with the 29-year-old Rendon's representatives Wednesday, according to general manager Mike Rizzo.
"The third base market specifically is an active market," Rizzo said. "There are several teams that are in the market for that particular position. I think it will move fairly rapidly, not only in the free-agent market but in the trade market I think we'll see some activity."
It marks the fourth big free-agent deal of the offseason negotiated by agent Scott Boras, contracts that total $878 million. Infielder Mike Moustakas joined the Cincinnati Reds with a $64 million, four-year deal, then right-hander Stephen Strasburg reached a $245 million, seven-year contract Monday to stay with the Nationals before Cole's pending signing came together a day later.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
