Anthony Rendon could return very soon, but is that even good news for the Angels?

For the Los Angeles Angels, Anthony Rendon's constant uncertain status has been difficult to work around. While relying on Rendon to stay on the field is an objectively bad bet, the Angels are also kind of pot-committed to at least trying to get something out of him given how much they are paying him. It would be one thing if he only had a year left on his deal, but it is another thing entirely to eat $38 million a year through 2026.

As a result, the team has been forced to be patient as Rendon rehabs from his hamstring injury. However, it actually sounds like Rendon is progressing well in his recovery. The latest word is that not only is Rendon going to face live pitching soon, but the consensus seems to be that, against all odds, he could return before the All-Star break.

The question now, though, is whether or not Rendon's return is actually a positive development for the Angels ahead of the trade deadline.

Rendon's impending return could cause Angels headaches ahead of the trade deadline

In an ideal world, Rendon would come back and play well for the rest of the season. If that happens, it will be a huge win for a franchise in desperate need of some good news. However, history has taught us that Rendon won't be able to stay on the field, and when he does play he will be mediocre at best. Rendon actually saying that he may not need a rehab assignment despite only playing in 19 games that count since July 4, 2023 may be the most absurd thing to ever come out of his mouth, which is a high bar to clear.

The problem for the Angels here extends beyond "will Rendon be good again?" though. Now, the Angels have to figure out if they can afford to trade a guy like Luis Rengifo, who can play third and is actually hitting well. What to do with Miguel Sano now that he is back from his own injury is another puzzle that the team is going to have to solve. Again, removing depth from behind Rendon has historically been a bad idea, but the Angels also really need to take advantage of this trade deadline for the sake of future seasons.

These things have a way of taking care of themselves and Rendon is coming back soon is helpful in the sense that Anaheim will at least know where he stands with a couple weeks to go before the deadline. However, just because Rendon is on the road to recovery right now doesn't mean that the Angels are out of the woods just yet. They've been known to botch many situations before.

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