Anthony Rendon, the 24 year-old star third baseman, is what many consider the final piece of the puzzle for the surging Washington Nationals. After finishing fifth in the National League MVP voting last season, Rendon led the Nationals in many statistical categories while also leading them to a ton of Curly W’s.
Drafted sixth overall in 2011 by the Nationals, Rendon has the talent and star power to become a major league All-Star after only one full season in Washington’s starting rotation. With his heavy-hitting and clutch infield performances, Nats’ fans will soon realize how much they have missed the 2014 Silver Slugger Award winner.
After six weeks of rehabbing away from the club in Florida due to a sprained left medial collateral ligament, Rendon was finally called up for his first rehab assignment with the Class AA Harrisburg Senators this past week. After five innings and two at-bats, in which Rendon slammed a double down the left field line and sprinted to first base without any issues, he said, “Everything is good.”
The Nationals are playing on the safer side of things by scheduling Rendon for two games in Harrisburg after which he played seven innings against the Reading Phillies without any problems in his left knee. He will go seven innings against the New Britain Rock Cats Monday, April 27 and then he will finish his assignment Tuesday, April 28, with a full game against the same team. The plan, according to the Nationals’ skipper, Matt Williams, will be to have his star third-basemen in the Nationals starting lineup by the end of the week to face off in New York with the Mets, for their weekend series.
The All-Star pitching carousel, which the Nationals call their bullpen, has blessed baseball fans in the DMV area with some of the biggest names — and arms — in the game so far this season. However, when Anthony Rendon returns to Washington’s lineup next week, fans can look forward to following another rising star continuing to build a bright legacy.