ANAHEIM – Since being placed on the injured list on July 4 with what was initially diagnosed as a left shin contusion, Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon refused to provide a statement to the media until Friday give.
But before the 11-2 loss to the Tigers, Rendon held a rare session with the media and revealed for the first time that he was diagnosed with a fractured left tibia in mid-August. He said he sought another opinion because he was concerned about how long his shinbone would take to heal.
However, the Angels never revealed that diagnosis, instead stating that Rendon was dealing with a deep bone bruise and a bleed in the bone. According to a source familiar with the situation, Rendon saw four doctors – two from the Angels and two from him – who did not find a fracture until Rendon saw a fifth doctor in Houston in mid-September, who found a fracture in his shinbone.
“A lot of people don’t know about it,” Rendon said. “Tibia fractures take forever. It was a break. I have pictures. I was still in pain. I contacted more and more doctors. I wanted an answer to why I was in more pain, so I took more pictures.”
When asked why the Angels never announced that diagnosis, Rendon said, “You’ll have to ask them.”
General manager Perry Minasian did not respond to a request for comment, but manager Phil Nevin acknowledged that Rendon received imaging himself last month but said the timeline and treatment for a deep bone bruise and fracture were essentially the same. Rendon’s agent Scott Boras also confirmed that the treatment for both injuries was the same and that the Angels’ training staff handled the rehab process correctly.
“I’m not on the medical side, but we talked about how bad the bone bruise was and how it resembled a fracture,” Nevin said. “Bone bruise, fracture, either way he can’t play at the moment. A bone bruise and a fracture, everything is treated the same. The rehab didn’t matter. It’s not like it was a bone sticking out of the skin.”
As for his return this year, Rendon said he has been participating in baseball activities recently but doesn’t know if he will have enough time to prepare for the game. Rendon wouldn’t elaborate on what he did, but Nevin said last week that Rendon hit off the tee and ran a little.
Rendon, 33, acknowledged it was another difficult year plagued by injuries as he was limited to just 43 games after playing just 58 games in 2021 and just 47 games in 2022. He hit .236/.361/.318 with two home runs and 22 RBIs and also committed eight errors at third base. He also missed 21 games because of a left groin strain he suffered in mid-May and nine games because of a left wrist bruise he suffered in mid-June.
“It’s definitely frustrating, I feel like we have the same conversation every few months,” Rendon said. “That’s how I’ve felt for the last three years. It is frustrating.”
Rendon signed a seven-year contract worth $245 million before the 2020 season and is still owed around $38.5 million per year in 2024, 2025 and 2026. When asked about his future, Rendon said he is just focused on the present. And when asked if he was thinking about retiring, he joked that he had been thinking about it for some time.
“I’ve been thinking about it for the last 10 years,” Rendon said with a smile.
He also added that he has no problems with the Angels despite another difficult season. Since Rendon joined the organization, the Angels have had no wins and are on the verge of missing the postseason for the ninth straight season.
“I love Anaheim,” Rendon said. “I love the angels. Every organization has its ups and downs. But it’s nothing I didn’t go through in DC.”
Nevin was asked if he thought the injury could impact Rendon in the offseason and next year, but said he didn’t think that was the case.
“I don’t see it that way,” Nevin said. “It is something that is manageable under his pain tolerance. Obviously it’s a painful thing, I’ve been saying that all along. This is an extremely painful deal for him. But he’s already past that point, and he can do some things on the treadmill, on the bike, he does some baseball activities. The encouraging thing is that he is doing much better.”