The Miami Marlins have released shortstop Tim Anderson. According to Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, He was designated for assignment on Tuesday after a disappointing first half, leaving him without a team.
Anderson, who is just 31, hit .214/.237/.226 for the Marlins in 65 games, committing nine errors at shortstop. He was hoping to regain his value when he signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Marlins in February, but instead continued his slide — a tremendous one for a player who less than two years ago had numbers that could have earned him a huge contract extension.
Selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 17th overall pick in 2013, Anderson had a career slash line of .288/.316/.442 through 2022 and was the American League batting champion in 2019. He also made two All-Star appearances and won a Silver Slugger Award.
But Anderson’s 2023 didn’t live up to his earlier career. He finished the season with an uncharacteristic .245/.286/.296 batting line in Chicago, and the White Sox declined his $14 million option. He landed with the Marlins, but they’re now in Anderson’s rearview mirror.
So what precipitated Anderson’s massive slump in 2023, which ultimately led to him being designated a free agent on July 2? It could all be due to a knee injury he suffered early in the 2023 season.
Anderson sprained his MCL on April 10, 2023, just 11 games into the season. He was off to a good start, but that didn’t continue after his return. When he returned on May 2, he wasn’t the Tim Anderson who had been there before. From that point on, he hit just .238 for the rest of the season.
At the end of the 2023 season, Anderson told MLB.com writer Scott Merkin that the MCL injury changed his body mechanics, especially his front leg (the one he uses to step up when he swings), which is where the injury was. He struggled to get comfortable at the plate for the rest of the season and hasn’t been the same since.
If Anderson can get his act together, there’s a chance he could return to the big leagues at some point. But without a serious turnaround, Anderson’s major league career could be over.
