Angels-Anthony Rendon deal now has worthy contender for worst contract in MLB history

Everyone that has followed the Los Angeles Angels at all in recent years is fully aware of the abomination that is Anthony Rendon's contract. An already questionable deal when it was first handed out back in December 2019, Rendon's seven year, $245 million deal has quickly evolved into the contract against which all badness is measured.

It takes a lot going wrong to have such a title, but Rendon has found a way to pull it off. He has averaged only 51 games a year since the beginning of his deal, has hit a total of 22 home runs since signing with the Angels, and has openly declared that baseball isn't a priority for him. Oh, and he is already hurt again with no timetable to return this season.

For those kinds of dollars combined with the total lack of production, Rendon's contract is going to be tough to top on the Mt. Rushmore of crappy deals. However, Kris Bryant's latest injury now at least puts his contract in the conversation.

Kris Bryant's contract is terrible, but it still doesn't hold a candle to Anthony Rendon's with the Angels

When Bryant signed a seven year, $182 million deal with the Rockies before the 2022 season, it raised some eyebrows. While he had a pretty decent 2021 season, Bryant's decline and struggles were well-documented and no one thought he would get even close to what Colorado ended up giving him.

Since joining the Rockies, Bryant's career has looked eerily similar to what Rendon has done. He has averaged just 53 games a season from 2022 to 2024, has seen his power all but completely leave, just got put on the IL with degenerative disk disease in his back, and even has taken a shot at his own team while lamenting he wished he researched Colorado more before signing.

However, Rendon's contract still reign supreme here. Even if Bryant is never healthy again which is very possible, Rendon may never play again at this point as it is feeling likely the Angels will eventually release him into a market that won't love his injury history, production, or his propensity to be a distraction when he opens his mouth. Bryant may not be happy with how not competitive the Rockies are, but he isn't burning bridges with everyone imaginable like Rendon has.

Rendon is only under contract through 2026 at a hefty $38.5ish million while Bryant's deal runs through 2028 at $27 million, but that means the Rockies are paying significantly less per year with at least SOME hope Bryant could be something whereas the Angels' fate with Rendon is basically sealed.

Both Rendon and Bryant are cautionary tales when it comes to hefty longer term deals and are certainly a couple of the examples teams bring up when they balk at handing out nine figure deals. As for which deal is worse, Rendon's remains the king as bad as Bryant's deal looks right now.

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