Former Chicago White Sox star Tim Anderson's fall from grace continues.
Turns out it was not a mistake that the White Sox let their former two-time All-Star go in the offseason. Anderson has been designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins.
Marlins have DFA’d Tim Anderson.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 2, 2024
Anderson signed a one-year deal with the Marlins in the offseason after the Sox declined to pick up his option. Injuries and personal issues started the decline of a one-time AL batting champ. It started around 2022 and his career has been in a tailspin ever since.
Now Anderson made the All-Star team in 2022, but he only played in 79 games that season. Last season TA had a slash line of .245/.286/.296 and one home run. He had an OPS+ of 61.
This year things got even worse for Anderson in South Beach. He had a .214 average and a .463 OPS with no home runs. His OPS+ was 30.
It feels like ever since that ball landed in the Iowa cornfield during the Field of Dreams game walkoff homer Anderson hit, it has been downhill for Tim and the organization.
It is tough to see Anderson go from the potential face of the league to possibly never being a big-leaguer again.
Marlins manager Skip Schumaker tonight pre-game on the decision to part ways with Tim Anderson:
— Will Manso (@WillMansoWPLG) July 2, 2024
“That’s the toughest part. When the guy’s put in so much work and there was just no production, nothing to show for it. That’s when you feel most for the player.”
(🎥 @Local10Sports) pic.twitter.com/XOabx0lOJ3
Anderson had some off-the-field marital issues that might have taken its toll on him. Remember, those issues while not commendable, where not domestic violence issues.
Injuries appeared to have zapped his power at the plate. He went from 17 home runs in 2021 to one home run in 2023. His bWAR in 2021 went from 4.4 to -1.2 this season.
He had a wRC+ of 110 in 2022 and now it is 31 this year. That much decline at the plate for a player with no redeeming value defensively is stunning.
It makes you wonder if Anderson's career is over. He cannot hit right now and he has already been given up on by the worst franchise in baseball and now the fourth worst.
That is like hitting rock bottom. No one thought it could get worse for him when Jose Ramirez knocked him out during a game in 2023. Yet, here we are.
Now maybe Anderson takes the rest of the season off to let his body get a breather and attempts a comeback. He is 31, so it is not like he is Jose Abreu, another former Sox star who was DFA'd by the Houston Astros due to an extreme decline in performance.
If he cannot regain his batting stroke during his next stop, then he might not be back in the big leagues ever again.