Angels place Anthony Rendon on 10-day IL with wrist inflammation

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will be placed on the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday’s game against the Blue Jays, manager Joe Maddon said Friday night. An MRI revealed the issue in Rendon’s wrist, but there was otherwise no structural damage.

Rendon suffered the injury while taking a swing in Thursday’s game, and he didn’t play in Friday night’s contest between the Jays and Angels. Tyler Wade stepped in as the starting third baseman, and with Rendon sidelined, it would seem like Wade and Matt Duffy would form a platoon at the hot corner until Rendon is ready to return. In the minors, Jack Mayfield is at Triple-A and on the 40-man roster, so he is probably the likeliest candidate to receive a call-up so the Halos can replenish their infield depth.

After missing much of the 2021 season due to hamstring, groin and knee problems, Rendon has bounced back this year to hit .242/.335/.403 with five home runs over his first 173 plate appearances. This production translates to a 116 OPS+ and 118 wRC+ — still solidly above average, if below the superstar numbers Rendon posted with the Nationals and in his first season (2020) in Anaheim. It could be that the best is yet to come for Rendon this season, as his .358 xwOBA is well ahead of his .329 wOBA.

The Angels have been one of the league’s better-hitting teams, though the injury bug has started to bite some key bats. Rendon’s trip to the IL is the most impactful of these injuries, as Taylor Ward returned to the lineup Friday after missing a few games with a stringer. Shohei Ohtani wasn’t in Friday night’s lineup due to a sore back, though the two-way star was able to pinch-hit.