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MLB rumors: 5 teams that should trade for Anthony Rendon

By David Salituro

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: Anthony Rendon #6 of the Washington Nationals makes a play in the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: Anthony Rendon #6 of the Washington Nationals makes a play in the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – MARCH 31: Zack Cozart #7 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fields the ball at third base in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on March 31, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – MARCH 31: Zack Cozart #7 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fields the ball at third base in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on March 31, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

4. Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels are committed to Mike Trout for the next 12 years. Now they need to show the best player in baseball they have the same commitment to surrounding him with a playoff-caliber lineup.

Trading for Rendon would give the Angels the kind of protection for Trout they’ve often lacked in recent years. Veteran and former All-Star Zack Cozart has started 22 games at third base for the Angels this year and is hitting just .131 with only two extra-base hits. Second-year utilityman David Fletcher has the ability to play all over the field and has replaced Cozart for 15 games, but has three homers in 44 games.

The Angels got off to a slow start in 2019, entering May with a record of 13-17. But so far this month they’ve gone 9-7 to creep back to within two games of .500. Catching the red-hot Houston Astros in the AL West may already be out of the question, but the Wild Card is still a real possibility for a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2014.

The Angels have had the game’s best player since 2012 but have only made the playoffs once in that time. The acquisition of Rendon would go a long way toward rectifying that lack of success.

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