As the Washington Nationals won the rubber game of their series with the New York Mets, their third baseman Anthony Rendon had a huge offensive performance.
Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon went 3 for 3, walked twice, scored three times, and hit a key three-run home run in the sixth inning on Sunday. The 28-year old has been playing at an elite caliber since 2017. However, whenever he plays the New York Mets, Rendon dominates on a whole new level.
In his career, Rendon has faced the Mets 96 times, more than he has played against any other team. He has hit 18 home runs against the Mets, 11 of them in Citi Field, the Mets’ stadium. His OPS at Citi Field is .924, elite. That is 88 points higher than his career-OPS.
In addition to home runs, he has more RBI, hits, runs, and stolen bases against the Mets than any other team in the majors. His batting average against New York is .307, 21 points higher than his career average.
Whenever he plays orange and blue, he is performing at a whole new level. He is a well-respected slugger around the league and is hated by Mets’ fans for is pure domination of their team. He has been the biggest thorn in the Mets’ side since Hall of Fame Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.
Rendon is coming off a great year. He and Freddie Freeman led the National League in doubles with 44. He batted .308 and hit 24 home runs. As Bryce Harper joined the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency, the Nationals are relying on Rendon to be a huge, impactful component of their offense. The former Silver Slugger Award recipient is currently leading the National League in average. This is mostly because he has played most of his games against the New York Mets.
Rendon will be able to continue his greatness against the Mets, as they play 13 more times this year. He hopes to carry this young Nationals team to the playoffs. More importantly for him, he is a free agent at the end of this year. If he continues playing like he has been since 2017, he will receive multiple lucrative offers come this winter.
He should think about trying to stay in the National League East, so he can play the Mets often.