Win or lose, Opening Day is supposed to be a fun day full of festivities. Well, for Angels infielder Anthony Rendon and a particularly mouthy A’s fan, it was not all fun and games.
The Angels fell to the A’s 2-1 on Thursday. As the Angels made their way to the clubhouse following the game, Rendon grabbed an A’s fan who had reportedly been heckling him. Rendon accused the man of calling him a “b*tch.” Then, the Angels’ third baseman took a swing at the fan.
MLB has announced that they are investigating the incident.
This is definitely not a good look for Rendon. Fans can say almost anything they want to say. That’s part of the deal when you pay your admission. However, in the extreme case where a fan might take it too far, a player can have the fan kicked out of the stadium.
That was the right play here, not throwing a punch.
Now, Rendon threw a punch with the same hand he had grabbed the man with. So, maybe he threw the punch knowing the man would have time to back off, and it wouldn’t connect. Who knows?
But it’s still wrong and possibly illegal even if the punch doesn’t land.
Rendon has had more than his fair share of troubles since signing with the Angels in 2019 after winning a World Series with the Nationals. He’s in the fourth year of a seven-year $245 million deal and has spent most of that time injured or falling short of expectations.
What he did on Thursday night doesn’t help.