"It's like being kicked out of the Beatles" - Anthony Rendon quips on life with Angels after Shohei Ohtani's departure
Third baseman Anthony Rendon has been subjected to scrutiny by Los Angeles Angels fans since his arrival in Anaheim. The infielder has been in the limelight, along with teammates Mike Trout and especially Shohei Ohtani, during his time with the Angels.
Now that the baseball megastar has left the team, the third baseman shared his thoughts about life after Ohtani. In an interview with Sam Blum and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic, Rendon shared that Ohtani's departure felt like the team had been kicked out of The Beatles.
“Someone said the last few years maybe this was what being in the Beatles was like. You don’t get used to (the attention), but you kind of expect it. Now it’s like being kicked out of the band.”
There is no denying that the media attention brought by Shohei Ohtani, not only to the Angels but to the game of baseball in general, hasn't been experienced in decades. In a sport that is often tagged as trending down or losing popularity, Ohtani's rise to stardom certainly counters those claims.
That is the same reason why Anthony Rendon's The Beatles comparison was certainly substantiated. When Ohtani signed for the Angels, he was a part of the big-name signings that were lured to Anaheim to help the team make a playoff push.
Now that Ohtani is sporting Dodger blue, almost all the fanfare is gone for the Angels and the team is burdened a little less by expectations moving forward.
Anthony Rendon lists baseball as third in his priorities
Injury-embattled star Anthony Rendon declared that baseball isn't his top priority in life and referred to it as a job. In a previous interview with The Athletic, the former World Series champion shared his priorities ahead of baseball.
"My faith, my family come first before this job.”
Rendon has been in hot water for several years now after being out of action for the majority of his time with the Angels. Fans of the team regret his seven-year, $245 million deal and are asking questions if the big-money signing was worth it due to his persistent time on the injury list.
While Rendon's priorities are understandable, Angels fans can't be blamed for asking questions if they got the short end of the stick when the team signed him.