Anthony Rendon
A supremely gifted hitter whose clutch postseason performance delivered a championship, yet whose career has been marred by persistent injuries.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 6·Millennials
Biography
Anthony Rendon emerged from Rice University as one of the most polished hitting prospects of his generation, a third baseman with a preternaturally calm swing and elite strike-zone judgment. Drafted by the Washington Nationals, he quickly became the reliable engine of their lineup, a player who seemed to thrive with runners on base. His defining moment came in 2019, when he led the National League in RBIs and then authored a historic postseason, driving in key runs throughout the playoffs and homering in Game 6 of the World Series. That performance cemented his legacy as a franchise icon and earned him a massive free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Since that pinnacle, however, his story has been one of frustrating attrition. A series of significant injuries—to his knee, hip, and wrist—have drastically limited his playing time, turning what was meant to be a marquee partnership with Mike Trout into a tale of unrealized potential. When healthy, he remains a master craftsman at the plate, but his career is now a race against physical decline.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Anthony was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals, batting .328 with 3 home runs and 15 RBIs in that postseason.
- Led Major League Baseball in runs batted in (126) during the 2019 regular season.
- Received the Silver Slugger Award in 2014 and 2019, recognizing him as the best offensive third baseman in the National League.
- Finished in the top 10 of National League MVP voting twice (2014, 2019).
Did You Know?
He played college baseball at Rice University, where he won the Dick Howser Trophy as the nation's best player in 2010.
He is known for his notably low-key and sometimes blunt demeanor with the media, famously stating 'It's a job' when asked about his passion for baseball.
He did not start playing baseball until he was 11 years old, focusing on football and basketball before that.
He and his wife founded 'Rendon's Readers,' a charity promoting literacy among children in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
“I’m not a huge fan of the spotlight. I just want to go out there and play the game I love.”
