Rendeon at Short?

by purppride1 on Mar 5, 2026 1:21 PM EST

Boxscore from Sunday's game against Houston shows Rendon replacing Desmond at short. Mark Teahen ended up spelling Zimmerman at 3rd. Anyone see the game? Is this accurate? If so, how did Rendon handle short?

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I saw him make one play

it was a routine grounder, and he looked fine to me. Makes me wonder if the Royals shouldve drafted him and moved him to SS or 2nd. Couldve helped them contend in 2013.

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by mathisrocks5 on Mar 5, 2026 1:48 PM EST reply actions

One Play

Enter overreacting man..

by killa on Mar 5, 2026 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

Rumors

I heard from one of the WAS rags that he was going to get reps there as well, so not surprising. Could be awesome for the Nats though if he can handle it. I think D at SS is overrated, at least to the point that all star bats have been moved off the position (says the non-manager).

by Mike Kaluk on Mar 5, 2026 2:53 PM EST reply actions

Somewhere I saw an article with quotes from Nats coaches that mentioned him getting reps at SS, 2B, and 3B, but it said he’d play 3B during the regular season. It was explicitly stated, but I get the feeling that it’s more of a matter that Rendon could play SS in a pinch as a backup than that he could stick there regularly.

by rlwhite on Mar 5, 2026 3:10 PM EST reply actions

believe there is more to it than that

they aren’t going to start using a bat like Rendon’s in a utility role and run him out at numerous positions in his 1st spring training. If they wanted him to move to 2B they’d be getting him reps there asap as he’s new to the position and needs all the work he can get, especially since he’s on the fast track. if they have him at SS its because he’s getting a serious look there

by ScottAZ on Mar 5, 2026 9:25 PM EST up reply actions

If he’s going to move there as a regular, he’ll be playing there in the regular season. They’ve already announced he’ll be playing strictly 3B in the regular season. If you’re going to switch a guy’s position and fast track him, you better go ahead and switch him.

by rlwhite on Mar 6, 2026 8:29 AM EST up reply actions

Just want to point out...

that while I’m not reading too much into this yet, SS makes far more sense than 2B. 2B is the worst possible outcome for those who want Rendon to be a star: take an injury-prone player with multiple ankle injuries in the past few years, and put him at one of only two positions on the diamond that regularly sees collisions with baserunners? No thanks. I’d rather see him protected in left field and his defensive abilities wasted than risk ending his career by putting him at baseball’s second most physically demanding defensive position.

Rendon played short in HS and moved to third not because he couldn’t handle the position, but in deference to Rick Hague. His lateral range is pretty good, and he’s quick and has a solid, accurate arm. I don’t think he’d be a disaster there at all. If he could hold down short at even a Jeter/Hanley type level (say, -5 to -10) that’s a tradeoff worth making IMO.

by slamcactus on Mar 6, 2026 3:29 PM EST reply actions

That said...

In terms of what’s likely to happen I’d be inclined to take the team at its word that he’ll be used as a 3B. I just think it would actually be a move that makes a lot of sense (at least figuring out if he can hack it).

As a guy who’s been a fan of Rendon since I saw him his frosh year, I’m just dreading the eventual move to 2B just because that’s where the conventional wisdom says that’s the next logical landing spot for a 3B who has to play out of position. If I’m running the nats, I give him a long look at SS, then if he can’t handle the position, I move him back to 3B in the minors but give him occasional reps in the outfield, since that may be his ultimate landing spot.

Anything but second base.

by slamcactus on Mar 6, 2026 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

Agree with everything except the OF

by sportsfreak2744 on Mar 6, 2026 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

he's blocked at OF with Werth/Harper

SS/2B is all he has left, his bat can’t play at 1B

by valencia on Mar 6, 2026 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

Nobody with Rendon's offensive ability...

is blocked long-term by a 33-year-old coming off a .718 OPS. Yes, Werth will rebound, but he’ll also be 35 by the time Rendon will be knocking on the door to the majors. The Nats may be completely unwilling to declare him a sunk cost, but somehow I doubt it, as 2014+ is their window for contention.

If having a quality regular in the position means he’s “blocked,” then he’s blocked at 2B by Danny Espinosa, who is both better and younger than Werth.

Also, Rendon’s bat would play fine anywhere. The average NL 1B hit .270/.350/.451 last year. If you don’t think Rendon’s upside is higher than that, then you shouldn’t really care where he plays.

by slamcactus on Mar 6, 2026 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Except that 33-year old OF

Has 6 years and over $100M left on his contract. He’s locked up through 2017. As “smart” as you think it is to declare him sunk cost, it just doesn’t work that way. Zito and Vernon Wells are starters still for a reason. He will be starting LF for the Nats at least until 2017, I guarantee it.

And he is blocked by Espinosa as well, but some people think Espinosa can move to SS to accommodate. Ian Desmond is not someone who’s blocking anybody.

That .270/.350/.450 line you think he can beat is basically David Wright’s line the last 2 years. That’s top 5 3B territory, 4+ WAR, which is a lot to ask for in any prospect. Where at 1B, that type of bat is average, 2+ WAR, and there’s around 15 guys who can give you that and another 5 guys who can get close.

If Espinosa and Rendon can’t somehow work out SS/2B together, then Rendon is getting traded for a TOR-type arm or a SS/CF who fits the Nats better. There’s just no reason to use him at 1B if he’s a top 5 3B bat and he can play 3B, when you can trade an asset like that for a TOR arm or a top 5 SS/CF type who’ll help out the team a lot more.

by valencia on Mar 6, 2026 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

Zito and Vernon Wells are starters still for a reason.

Barry Zito started 9 games last year at the age of 33. Vernon Wells would not have started over a superior option in Toronto. He will play games in Anaheim to justify the trade, but he’s not going to block Mike Trout. Peter Bourjos, maybe (even that’s a dumb move), but not a special prospect. Rendon is a special prospect.

You very well may be right, and Rizzo may be hesitant to declare a sunk cost, but this was premised on the line “if I were running the Nats.” If Werth doesn’t rebound to 2010 form and the only options for Rendon are 2B or LF, I’d stick him in LF and not think twice. It’d be the right move.

The larger point is that I’m terrified that his career won’t last more than a year or two if he’s forced to collide with baserunners every day. In my opinion, he’d have far more value to the Nats as a trade chip or even as a 1B/OF than as a career-ending injury waiting to happen at the keystone. So it bothers me that everyone is assuming that that’s his only option moving forward. The Nats should be very interested in pursuing an alternative.

That .270/.350/.450 line you think he can beat is basically David Wright’s line the last 2 years. That’s top 5 3B territory, 4+ WAR, which is a lot to ask for in any prospect.

The track record for the consensus top college bat is very, very good. If you go back the past several years and identify the top college bats in the nation, there are very few you will find who have not exceeded the .800 OPS benchmark. Travis Lee and Pedro Alvarez come immediately to mind. Wieters hasn’t done it yet, but I’d put pretty good money on it happening soon as long as he stays healthy.

I admit I’m bullish on Rendon’s bat, but if a healthy Rendon peaks at an OPS below .800 I don’t think I’m the only one who would see that as a disappointment. Hell, Travis Lee is basically the single all-time example of the biggest bust for a top college bat, and even he topped that mark in his best single season.

by slamcactus on Mar 6, 2026 8:11 PM EST up reply actions

Rendon will not be a short-stop in the major leagues

I questoin whether he could handle 2B.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/photo-logan-morrison-bryan-petersen-share-tub-drink-043548597.html

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 6, 2026 6:03 PM EST reply actions

Why?

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but what tool in particular do you think is so deficient that there’s no chance? Range? Arm? Footwork? Again, not arguing, but I’d like to see a reason behind that much inflexible certainty.

The handful of times I’ve seen him his arm and footwork seem more than adequate. I’ve never seen him in a position to test his lateral range much at third, but the analysts who covered college ball were pretty clear on him having the ability to be at least adequate at the position when he was in college, but kept him at third after he started his career there because they knew he was excellent at the hot corner and Rice had a couple of solid all-glove types coming in as freshmen after Rick Hague left.

by slamcactus on Mar 6, 2026 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

Rendon

He did play part of the game at SS. I dont see him having the range to play short in MLB, but forsure can be an above average 2nd basemen with Esponosia moving over to SS.

by ZeFreed on Mar 7, 2026 3:17 AM EST reply actions