The Los Angeles Angels just can’t catch a break—on the field or off it. Nine straight losing seasons have already tested the patience of fans. But now things are spiraling even further, with financial troubles taking center stage. Owner Arte Moreno has openly admitted the team’s struggles, hinting that surprises could be on the way. But just when you thought things couldn’t get more chaotic, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal has dropped a bombshell—tying the Angels’ woes directly to Anthony Rendon’s rocky career phase. Could this be the missing piece to the puzzle?

It all started on Monday. Moreno engaged in an interaction with the reporters during the Angels’ full-squad workout and added a new narrative about the team. “We’re going to lose money,” he said, adding “Probably lose $50 million to $60 million, minimum.” A major reason behind the losses was attributed to the increase in payroll and a plethora of revenue shortfalls in terms of television, sponsorships, and ticket sales. But Rosenthal has yet another dimension to add here. 

Speaking on Foul Territory, Rosenthal deliberated on a wide range of factors including Moreno’s latest announcement. He highlighted that another big factor behind the loss is the absence of insurance for any players, including Anthony Rendon, who is going through a turbulent phase owing to his injuries. “Over the weekend I had a notes column. This was on Sunday we published this and in that notes column, I had a note about Anthony Rendon and the Angels,” he said. Continuing further, the MLB reporter added that making a bet on Rendon was probably a poor decision by the Angels. 

“Now as we all know Anthony Rendon is scheduled to undergo hip surgery, he most likely will miss the entire 2025 season, his contract 7 years, 245 million before the 2020 season, has essentially been a disaster, a washout he has barely played. If he doesn’t play this season he would have missed 75% of the Angels’ games over the last 5 Years. Again, if he misses the entire season. Now the note was about how the Angels do not have insurance on Rendon or any of their other players for that matter,” Rosenthal added. But there’s more, still.

Rosenthal also pinned the blame on Moreno for not making accurate decisions on time, saying: “That is a choice the owner Arte Moreno makes, it’s a business decision he doesn’t want to pay expensive premiums when he might never need to invoke the policies.”

Rendon’s injury – and the team’s unpreparedness – has been a contributing factor to the team’s off-court setbacks. “I spoke with an expert on baseball insurance and how these things work and he said in the Angels’ case with Rendon, not taking out a policy has cost them probably at least $50 million,” he claimed. And these claims cannot be ignored given the troubles that Rendon has faced over the past half-decade. Since 2021, Rendon has yet to play a full season for the Angels. And the cherry on top now are the rumors of retirement.

Is Anthony Rendon looking to exit gracefully? At least insiders believe so

Anthony Rendon’s growth trajectory has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. In 2019, Rendon was a big name in MLB when his 6.7 WAR was second only to the legendary Mike Trout’s 8.4. But injuries continued to pose a threat to him. The 34-year-old had surgery on one hip last year and is now gearing up for another surgery. In such a situation, the buzz around his retirement has also started to grow.

“Talking to people who know Anthony Rendon, the thought is he might just retire,” MLB insider, Alden Gonzalez said. Interestingly, Scott Boras even highlighted his challenges further and claimed it to be a lack of ‘physical manifestation’. “Remember that this is not about attitude; it’s not about commitment. It’s not intent; it’s about the lack of physical manifestation due to injury,” he said in an interaction on Foul Territory’s podcast. 

With the situation teetering on the edge for the Angels, it will be crucial to see how Rendon’s absence will impact their future run-ups. Will the title drought end anytime soon? That remains to be seen.