Elephant Rumblings: Rendon altercation with fan spurs investigation

Happy Sunday, Athletics Nation!

Angels’ third baseman Anthony Rendon seems to have a pretty short fuse to complement his defensive range. After the Angels’ 2-1 loss to the A’s at the Coliseum on Thursday, video surfaced of Rendon grabbing a fan who had apparently taunted him and sharing a few choice words.

Jeff Fletcher at The Orange County Register posted a video of the incident from another angle in which Rendon appears to have coaxed his alleged heckler to within arms length.

MLB is investigating the incident and will hopefully issue an appropriate suspension to Rendon, who was suspended last June for his part in a brawl with the Mariners.

The Oakland Police Department also stated that it is investigating a battery that occurred at the Coliseum on Friday, though they did not confirm that it involved Rendon.

Rendon, Angels general manager Perry Minasian, and manager Phil Nevin all declined to comment yesterday. This is understandable given the investigations, but the Angels could have made a solid gesture by benching Rendon for physically threatening a fan in the stands. Instead, he started Saturday’s game. Stay classy, Slegna!

The A’s will vie to win the season’s first series today in a battle between lefties Ken Waldichuk and Tyler Anderson. First pitch at 1:07 PT. Let’s go, Oakland!

A’s Coverage:

• Polito: A’s fall to Angels 13-1 at home; Spoil Shintaro Fujinami’s MLB Debut
• Nico: Everything I Know I Learned On Opening Night
• Willis: Shintaro Fujinami set for A’s debut against Angels
• Gallegos: Uneven debut a learning opportunity for Fujinami
• Fletcher: Angels, Anthony Rendon decline comment after altercation with A’s fan
• Ostler: From frazzled pitchers to feasting runners, 11 things to expect this MLB season ($)

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• Polishuk: Injury Notes: Dickerson, Whitlock, Gonsolin, Haniger, Slater
• Polishuk: NL East Notes: Verlander, Wright, Keuchel, Plawecki
• Polishuk: Mariners Place Robbie Ray On 15-Day Injured List
• Dierkes: Padres Sign Jake Cronenworth To Seven-Year Extension
• Drellich: An MLB owner told Rob Manfred ‘analytics is an arms race to nowhere.’ The commissioner agrees ($)
• Shea: Will MLB miss the next Sergio Romo? He and the Giants scout who found him wonder
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