Infielder Tim Anderson has signed a one-year deal with the Miami Marlins, the team announced, as ESPN reported Thursday it will be worth $5 million. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara has been transferred to the 60-day Injured List.
The Marlins reportedly envision Anderson being their primary shortstop in 2024. This wasn't quite the free agency deal Anderson was surely envisioning a few years ago. He led the majors with a .335 batting average in 2019 while posting 4.2 WAR, then hit .322 while leading the AL in runs scored in the pandemic-shortened 2020, finishing seventh in MVP voting.
He followed that up with an All-Star season in 2021, hitting .309 with a 118 OPS+. In 123 games that season, he had 29 doubles, two triples, 17 homers, 61 RBI, 94 runs, 18 steals and 4.7 WAR.
He only managed 79 games in 2022 due to injury, though he still hit for a .309 average. Last season, though, Anderson totally bottomed out, slashing .245/.286/.296 (60 OPS+) with 18 doubles, two triples, one home run, 25 RBI, 52 runs, 13 steals and -2.0 WAR. Yes, that's negative two WAR.
Various injuries have meant Anderson hasn't topped 123 games since his 153 in 2018. The dip in production last season at age 30 is the big concern, obviously, along with the lack of durability.
Anderson never really took walks, so the batting average needed to stay high in order to keep the on-base percentage above water, but his power (he once hit 20 homers in a season and surpassed .500 in slugging percentage twice) is now zapped meaning he's been an empty batting average guy. He needs to hit a lot better than .245 to make it work.
There's certainly plenty of potential inside Anderson and heading to his age-31 season, he's not too old to turn things around. This is a partnership that could be mutually beneficial. The Marlins previously had Jon Berti penciled in as their starting shortstop.
