The White Sox will decline their $14MM membership possibility on shortstop Tim Anderson, in accordance with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers (X hyperlink). Anderson will as an alternative obtain a $1MM buyout, and turn into a free agent for the primary time in his skilled profession.
The choice marks the tip of an period on the South Facet, as Anderson had been a part of the group because the White Sox made him the seventeenth total choose of the 2013 draft. Rising as an everyday by means of the membership’s rebuilding years, Anderson made two All-Star Video games, received a Silver Slugger Award (in 2020), and received the 2019 AL batting title throughout his eight seasons in a Sox uniform.
The White Sox acknowledged this potential early, and locked Anderson up on a six-year, $25MM extension previous to the 2017 season that contained membership choices for each 2023 and 2024. Heading into the 2023 season, it appeared like a foregone conclusion that Anderson’s first possibility could be picked up, but this parting of the methods underscores the disappointing nature of the shortstop’s 12 months.
Anderson hit solely .245/.286/.296 over 524 plate appearances, and his 60 wRC+ was the bottom of any certified hitter in baseball. Anderson missed about three weeks resulting from a left knee sprain early within the season, and mentioned final month that he by no means fairly felt proper bodily for the remainder of the 12 months, undoubtedly contributing to this main dropoff on the plate. Together with his defensive metrics additionally taking a tumble, Anderson was a sub-replacement degree participant, with -0.5 fWAR in 2023 after posting 16.1 fWAR over the earlier 5 seasons.
Extra to come back…
