Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The
Anaheim Angels selected Kendrick in the tenth round of the
2002 Major League Baseball draft.
Baseball America named him the best
prospect in the
Texas League in 2005, calling him "the clear standout" in a league that also featured
Kendrys Morales,
Erick Aybar, and
Andre Ethier. He was named the 12th top prospect by
Baseball America in 2006. in 2009 Kendrick made his MLB debut on April 26, 2006, as the starting second baseman for the Angels against the
Detroit Tigers. He was hitless in four at-bats in the game. His first hit was a line drive single to center off
Barry Zito of the
Oakland Athletics in his next start, on May 1. Kendrick hit his first
home run against
Shawn Camp of the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 26. He hit .285 with 4 homers and 30 RBIs in 72 games during that season. Kendrick had a one-on-one collision with
actor Ben Affleck during his rookie season in the stands on the
first base side of
Fenway Park. On a foul ball that was hit towards where Affleck was sitting, Kendrick beat Affleck to the ball, recording the out. Fans sitting nearby booed Affleck for not taking the ball away from Kendrick. The event landed Kendrick's picture in
People magazine. In an edition of the syndicated
Access Hollywood, Kendrick presented Affleck an autographed baseball for his birthday. After the incumbent starter,
Adam Kennedy, signed as a
free agent with the
St. Louis Cardinals during the 2006-2007 offseason, Kendrick became the Angels starting second baseman for 2007. He
batted .322 in 88 games and again batted over .300 in 2008. He joined teammates
Jered Weaver, and
Jordan Walden as the Angels' representatives in
Phoenix, Arizona. Through the All-Star break on July 10, Kendrick was hitting .302/.360/.462 with 8 home runs, 9 stolen bases, and 29 RBIs in 301 at-bats. Kendrick had a strong 2012 season, batting .287 with 8 home runs and 67 RBIs. Kendrick suffered a strained hamstring in a game on August 9 and did not return from the disabled list until September 18, though the injury would continue to bother him for the rest of the season. As a result, he played in only 117 games for the Dodgers (his lowest total since 2009) and hit .295 with 9 homers and 54 RBI. Kendrick and his agent blamed the fact that he declined the qualifying offer and thus would require any team claiming him to give up a draft pick with the lack of interest in him from other teams during his free agency. With
Chase Utley getting most of the work at second base, Kendrick played primarily in
left field but also saw time at
third base and
first base in addition to second. He appeared in 146 games and hit .255/.326/.366 with eight homers and 40 RBI. For the season, he had the highest
ground ball percentage (61.0%), and the lowest fly ball percentage (19.6%), of all major league hitters.
Philadelphia Phillies Kendrick was traded to the
Philadelphia Phillies for
Darin Ruf and
Darnell Sweeney on November 11, 2016. On April 18, 2017, Kendrick was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained right abdomen.
Washington Nationals during the celebration for the 2019 World Series Champions. On July 28, 2017, the Phillies traded Kendrick and cash considerations to the
Washington Nationals for McKenzie Mills and international signing bonus money. On August 13, Kendrick hit his first
grand slam, a
walk-off in the bottom of the 11th, against the
San Francisco Giants. He batted .293 that season, finishing with 7 HR and 25 RBI. He primarily played left field. He re-signed with the Nationals after the season for two years and $7 million plus incentives. On May 19, 2018, Kendrick ruptured his Achilles, ending his season early. He finished the season batting .303 with 4 HR and 12 RBIs. Kendrick participated in 121 regular season games in 2019, finishing with a batting average of .344 in 330 at bats, alongside 62 RBIs and 17 home runs, second-most of any season in his career. In the National League Championship Series, Kendrick went 5 for 15 with 4 doubles and 4 RBIs in the Nationals' four-game sweep of the
St. Louis Cardinals, earning him the
National League Championship Series MVP award. Kendrick became just the 21st player to hit four or more doubles in a
League Championship Series. In
Game 7 of the
2019 World Series, Kendrick hit a go-ahead home run off
Will Harris that struck the screen on the right field foul pole. His efforts paid off as the Nationals won 6-2, giving them their first championship in franchise history. Kendrick won the 2019
Heart and Hustle Award. Kendrick became a free agent after the 2019 season, but on December 9, 2019, Nationals general manager
Mike Rizzo said he had signed a one-year deal worth 6.25 million to stay with the Nationals. Kendrick hit .275/.320/.385 with 2 homers and 11 RBI in 25 games in the
pandemic-shortened
season, and he became a free agent upon the conclusion of the season. On December 21, 2020, Kendrick announced his retirement from professional baseball via his
Instagram page. ==Post-playing career==