Anthony Rendon was one of the top third basemen in Major League Baseball during a strong seven-year stretch with the Nationals. However, he has seen a staggering decline over the last four seasons.

The 34-year-old signed a $245 million contract with the Angels in December 2019 after winning a World Series with Washington. His career has not been the same since.

Rendon hit .310 with 286 runs scored, 83 home runs and 318 RBIs in 1582 at-bats from 2017 through 2019. Those numbers dropped to .249 with 91 runs scored, 22 home runs and 111 RBIs in 720 at-bats over the last four years. Injuries have kept him from stepping into the box. He has not played more than 58 games in any season with L.A. (Anaheim) and failed to replicate similar success even when healthy.

Now, as Rendon enters the fifth year of his seven-year deal, the former MLB All-Star was asked whether his perspective on the game has changed. His response ruffled a lot of feathers among Angels fans, fantasy baseball owners, and baseball purists alike.

“[Baseball’s] never been a top priority for me,” he said. “This is a job. I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job. So if those things come before it, I’m leaving.”

Even though getting married and having four children has changed Rendon’s view on the sport, he emphasized that baseball remains a priority. Just not his No. 1 priority.

“Oh, it’s a priority for sure, because it’s my job,” he added. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

Naturally, people took Rendon’s comments in a way that he did not intend. While it doesn’t sound great for an MLB player to admit that baseball is not his top priority, his logic makes sense. And it’s not like Nikola Jokic receives the same criticism for sharing a similar attitude toward his craft.

With that being said, it is the timing of Rendon’s declaration that creates the bad optics here. It would be a very different conversation if he was able to stay healthy and produce at a high level.