Leading up to baseball’s winter meetings, we will take a daily look at some of the game’s top free agents and how they could potentially impact the Phillies.
Today, it's the top position player on the market: Anthony Rendon.
The vitals
Rendon first turned heads back in 2014. He was a dynamic player in 2017 and 2018, but this past season, he was just about the perfect position player.
Rendon hit .319/.412/.598 with 44 doubles, 34 homers and a MLB-leading 126 RBI despite missing 16 games. He did all of that damage while striking out just 86 times. Add in the solid defense and he's become one of the five best position players in the game today.
He only added more dollars to his free-agent score in the 2019 playoffs by hitting .328 with three homers and 15 RBI in 17 games en route to a ring.
The stat that epitomized Rendon in 2019 was that his batting average didn't dip below .300 once after April 1, nor did his OPS dip below .916. He was basically slump-proof.
MLB
Why he fits
The Phillies obviously need a third baseman and this market just so happens to offer three of the best. Rendon is top-two at his position leaguewide, Josh Donaldson top-seven, and Mike Moustakas is a tier slightly below Donaldson but perhaps more reliable.
If the Phillies could somehow add Rendon, they'd have an incredible duo batting 2-3 or 3-4. Many would say, "Yeah, they had that in Washington, too," but that ignores the fact that Rendon has evolved into a much better player than he was during those years.
Think about a Phils lineup of Andrew McCutchen leading off, Bryce Harper batting second and Rendon third. You'd have a ton of OBP at the top, followed by a clutch, line-drive hitter who thrives with runners in scoring position and barely swings and misses.
It could catapult the Phillies' win projection to the upper-80s, but many teams will be hotly pursuing Rendon.
Why he doesn't fit
Can any organization sign a player for $330 million one offseason and about $275 million the next? It's just not a path to sustainable success unless you hit on almost every mid-tier move and under-the-radar acquisition.
The Rangers are expected to offer Rendon, a Texas native, a ton of money as they open their new ballpark in 2020. The Nationals will do their best to retain him. The Dodgers could very well be in play. The presence of even two of those teams will make matters difficult for the Phillies.
The price tag
Nolan Arenado signed an eight-year, $260 million extension with the Rockies in February. If Rendon wants to play eight more years, why would his deal be for a dollar less?
Arenado and Rendon are comparable players, especially when you factor Coors Field out of the equation. If you believe the defensive metrics, the gap between the two has shrunk even though Arenado is still a perennial Gold Glover.
Rendon is a better overall player than Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. His deal probably won't reach $300 million, though, because he's three years older than they were when they hit free agency a year ago.
Scout's take
"Everyone thinks he's going to Texas to help open that new ballpark. He's a real quiet leader, not demonstrative like others at that position. There's fire but it burns internally. He's a real pro and, obviously, a difference maker."
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