The Miami Marlins and free-agent shortstop Tim Anderson agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal, a major-league source said Thursday.
The deal comes one week after The Athletic reported Miami made an offer to Anderson in its search for an everyday shortstop.
Anderson, 30, declined markedly last season after a brilliant performance in the World Baseball Classic during spring training.
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He went 6-for-18 with a double, triple, two walks and five RBIs in the 2023 WBC, prompting Team USA manager Mark DeRosa to say, “Out of any player, he has grown on me the most.” Anderson continued his strong play through the first 11 games of the regular season. But after suffering a sprained left knee that kept him on the injured list from April 11 to May 2, Anderson’s production declined significantly.
His final numbers — a .245 batting average, one home run and a .582 OPS — all represented career lows. He also dealt with off-field issues, confirming in June that he had a son with a woman outside his marriage. The White Sox declined his $14 million club option at the end of the season, giving him a $1 million buyout instead.
In eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox, he was the 2019 American League batting champion and a two-time All-Star.
Why this deal is a no-brainer for Miami
Anderson’s market was even worse than expected following an awful 2023 season. Left hanging until just before the start of spring training games after the White Sox declined their club option, he settled for a one-year, $5 million deal. Miami had an obvious need at shortstop, so Anderson should have a clear path to everyday playing time and receive plenty of patience, but it’s a steep fall for a 30-year-old who hit .300-plus each season from 2019 to 2022.
There’s clearly not much league-wide faith in Anderson’s comeback chances, but this is a no-brainer move for the Marlins. Jon Berti, who had been atop their depth chart at shortstop, is far better suited for a utility role, and taking a $5 million flier on a relatively young recent All-Star at a premium position is affordable, even for a team with a payroll in the $100 million range. Anderson showed no shortage of red flags in 2023, but it won’t take much of a bounce back to provide good value. — Aaron Gleeman, MLB staff writer
ESPN was first to report news of the deal.
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(Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today)