MLB rumors: Anthony Rendon gives Angels fans more reasons to dislike him with childish acts in the media
When the Angels made a move for Anthony Rendon a few seasons ago, it appeared to be a huge move, giving Los Angeles the 3rd star they needed to complement Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
In his 2019 campaign, Rendon totaled 34 home runs and 126 RBIs in his final season for the Washington Nationals. In 200 games across four seasons for the Angels, Rendon has only tallied 22 home runs and 111 RBIs, while being paid 16% of the teams payroll.
While production hasn't been there, character and leadership could remain for Rendon, but recently, he's failed to show either of those attributes. His recent acts with the media have been childish and troubling for the Angels bleak future.
The media has asked the injury plagued third baseman some serious questions about his health, but Rendon has repeatedly refused to answer, leaving the media and Los Angeles fans in the dark.
With Ohtani likely to depart in the offseason, Trout on the IL, and a disastrous 2023 trade deadline, Rendon's remarks and actions have made this season even more of a nightmare. The Los Angeles faithful could turn to hatred for the third baseman very soon.
MLB rumors: Alek Manoah placed on temporary inactive list, remains with Triple-A
There have been few stories in 2023 that have been more surprising and puzzling than Alek Manoah's fall from grace. For his first two seasons in the big leagues, Manoah seemed like a future ace and a potential Cy Young candidate for years to come. But 2023 has been a nightmare and it only continues to worsen.
In August, Manoah was sent down to Triple-A following another troubling start against the Guardians. However, nearly a month later and Manoah has yet to report to the Blue Jays Triple-A affiliate.
This lack of appearance has resulted in the Buffalo Bisons placing Alek Manoah on the temporarily inactive list. The temporarily inactive list, as defined by MiLB states "If a Minor League player is away from a team for a few days because of a personal matter, travel to an All-Star game, etc., & is not placed on the IL, he is placed on the temporary inactive list."
Bad has only gotten worse for the young starter. Manoah had the ability to show heart, perseverance and growth through a terrible season, but instead, he's given the Blue Jays fans more reasons to give up on him.
Obviously, the full story has yet to surface, so there's a chance that Manoah has a viable reason to be absent from his assignment at Triple-A. This story is far from over for the former All-Star.
MLB rumors: Cardinals designate infielder Taylor Motter for assignment
MLB rumors showed St. Louis continuing their journey towards the future on Tuesday when they designated the veteran utility man, Taylor Motter for assignment. This cleared room for the Cardinals to add Jose Fermin to the roster.
Motter, 33, has played for seven different MLB teams in his career, holding a career slash line of .188/.258/.294 across almost 200 games. The act of 'DFA'ing Motter likely ends his stint with the Cardinals.
The 33-year-old has often been praised for his defensive versatility, while his offense has lacked for his entire career. In his career, Motter has played every defensive position besides catcher and center field. He's even appeared as a pitcher for 1.1 innings of cleanup duty.
This move makes room for the 24-year-old Jose Fermin to join the Cardinals major league club again. Fermin has spent limited time with St. Louis this season, only totaling 25 at-bats in his major league career.
Fermin provides a much higher ceiling than Motter, being nearly a decade younger than the veteran. Fermin also provides some defensive versatility, while having the capability of providing the Cardinals with a capable bat.
His first stint in the big leagues didn't go well, but with a bit more experience, Jose Fermin could give the Cardinals a viable rotational infielder.