Latest Anthony Rendon injury update gives Angels rare glimmer of hope

At this point, Anthony Rendon has created the lowest of bars to clear in terms of good news during his time with the Los Angeles Angels. Every day that passes when he doesn't find a way to hurt himself or say something truly tone-deaf is a win these days.

When it was revealed that Rendon suffered a serious hamstring injury in April, Angels fans didn't really even bat an eye. There were plenty of eye-rolls and jokes about how much money he was making versus how much money he is making, but the expectation he has created is that of a guy that simply can't stay on the field for one reason or another. For many, many fans, his contract is already a sunk cost.

However, there was an actual update on Rendon's recovery from that hamstring injury that was really positive when the Angels revealed that Rendon is participating in real baseball activities, including running the bases, which should give fans some hope that he could actually play in baseball games this season.

Angels News: Anthony Rendon advances to doing normal baseball activities during rehab

Again, this is a pretty low bar to clear. That Rendon doesn't need a scooter to get around shouldn't be cause for celebration, however, being cleared to run the bases is an important milestone in a vacuum for guys that have significant hamstring injuries. Assuming he doesn't have any setbacks and can replicate the results in a few more workouts, Rendon going out on a rehab assignment in the minors sometime in July is a distinct possibility.

The real question isn't whether or not Rendon will return (although at this point, that is far from a certainty), but what he will look like once he does return and how long he can actually stay healthy. Rendon's track record suggests that he will come back and be a .700ish OPS hitter for a little while, which is definitely not what the Angels hoped for when they signed Rendon, but at least it is something.

Perhaps the Angels could get the Yankees interested in trading for Rendon. LA would almost certainly have to eat a bunch of Rendon's dreadful contract, but New York seems to have a thing for formerly talented players that are getting older and can't stay healthy, so it may be worth a phone call. Failing that, Angels fans may want to temper their expectations that Rendon's recovery is going to anything other than tears.

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