Phillies Likely Out of Running for 3B Anthony Rendon
By Matt Rappa
Amid their signing of infielder Didi Gregorius, the Phillies are reported to be no longer targeting two-time Silver Slugger Award-winning 3B Anthony Rendon.
The Major League Baseball hot stove is burning amid the Winter Meetings currently taking place in San Diego, California.
Multiple signings were made just Tuesday alone, including the Philadelphia Phillies’ addition of former New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius on a one-year, $14 million deal.
In adding Gregorius, the Phillies now have him, Jean Segura, Scott Kingery, and Rhys Hoskins as their likely starting infielders for 2020, with top prospect Alec Bohm “waiting in the wings” as he will likely start the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. This comes after non-tendering their longest tenured players, third baseman Maikel Franco and second baseman Cesar Hernandez.
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Given the manager Joe Girardi‘s sudden infield depth he has to work with, the club reportedly will be no longer considering two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and 2019 All-Star and World Series champion third baseman, Anthony Rendon.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Phillies “will never say never, but they say the signing of Gregorius likely takes them out of the third-base market for Anthony Rendon.” MLB.com Texas Rangers scribe TR Sullivan confirmed Nightengale’s report: “the Phillies are out on free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon after landing shortstop Didi Gregorius.”
Rendon was among the players named to the inaugural All-MLB First Team on Tuesday, along with Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Through seven major-league seasons, all with the Washington Nationals, Rendon has slashed .290/.369/.490 with 245 doubles, 136 home runs, 546 RBI, 409 walks and 610 strikeouts spanning 916 games.
Just last week, the Phillies were reported as to be “strongly pursuing” Rendon this offseason, according to Nightengale, who wrote that while the club would still like to pursue another starting pitcher (in addition to RHP Zack Wheeler) and relief pitching, Rendon had become their “No. 1 target.”
Perhaps Rendon’s expected $250 million-plus price tag put them out of running; instead they signed Gregorius, who has many years of experience playing under Girardi while with the Yankees.
Along with the Phillies, other reported interested teams in Rendon this offseason include the Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.