The Los Angeles Angels can take the most drastic step involving the oft-injured Anthony Rendon, and that's by getting rid of him without even seeking a trade, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

“Rendon, who received a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, will have missed 338 games in the past three full seasons if he doesn’t return this year. That’s $71.5 million paid for games that Rendon has not played,” wrote Nightengale. “The Angels could simply release him.”

When healthy, Rendon can be a productive member of the Angels, whom he's played for since the 2020 MLB season. But staying on the field has been a huge problem for Rendon, who has not played in more than 58 games in a season since his first year with the Angels. Rendon has appeared in 43 games so far in the 2023 season, but there's a high chance that he won't play another the rest of the way after he got transferred by the Angels to their 60-day injured list.

There is no urgency for the Angels to rush Rendon back to active duty, considering the fire status of the team's chances to make the 2023 MLB playoffs. At 11.5 games behind the the race to the top of the American League West division, the Angels don't have much of an incentive equity to risk an aggravation of Rendon's injury.

At the same time, Anthony Rendon is earning big money from the Angels without being able to help the team at the moment.

On the season, Rendon has a .236 batting average, .261 OBP, and .318 slugging percentage.