Anthony Rendon is closing in on a return date, assuming he wants to play

For the past several years, the Los Angeles Angels have had a conundrum on their hands with veteran third baseman Anthony Rendon.

The slugger has spent a lot of time on the injured list since signing a seven-year deal prior to the 2020 season. He also has made some questionable comments which have led people to believe that baseball isn't a top priority for him.

Rendon is currently nursing a hamstring injury, but he took an important step in his rehab journey on Monday. According to Rhett Bollinger, the slugger ran the bases on Monday as part of his rehab.

Anthony Rendon takes big step, assuming he wants to play

Having been out for so long, this is a big step forward for Rendon.

However, it all depends on if he truly wants to play.

It's easy to understand why fans are questioning Rendon's dedication to baseball, as he has made some questionable comments in the past. He's talked about wanting Major League Baseball to shorten the regular season from 162 games and even prioritizing other things above baseball.

So, it remains to be seen if Rendon is willing to actually prepare properly to play the rest of the season and try and stay healthy. He has been unable to stay healthy in recent years, and the Angels haven't exactly been reaping the benefits.

Rendon's former teammate, Jonathan Papelbon, has also criticized him for seemingly lacking passion for baseball.

This has been a problem for several years now, and it doesn't appear that it's going to be coming to an end anytime soon for the Angels. Even when Rendon comes back, if that happens, there's no guarantee he'll produce the same type of results he did early in his career with the Washington Nationals.

The 34-year-old has appeared in just 19 games this season and has only played 167 games since the start of the 2021 season.

So, it all depends on Rendon's attitude. If he wants to play and stay ready to do so, then this was an important step forward. But he can't afford to have any more setbacks. He still needs to prove his worth and whether or not he is truly capable of putting up the same type of numbers and staying healthy.

Those have been major problems for Rendon over the years, and as such, there is little reason for optimism among fans of the Angels.