right-handed Nick Anderson According to a report from KPRC2’s Ari Alexander, it’s attracting interest from multiple teams. Alexander added that Anderson plans to hold workouts with at least 10 teams on Jan. 23. .
Anderson, 35, made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2019 but was traded to the Rays shortly after. After arriving in Tampa, Anderson’s career took off, with a 1.85 ERA, 2.42 FIP and 42.5% strikeout rate in 43 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, during the 2019, ’20 and ’21 seasons, these stellar hitting numbers only came in 43 2/3 innings. Elbow issues limited him to just six innings in 2021 and prevented him from playing at the major league level in 2022, leading the Rays to cut him.
Since then, he has pitched for the Braves and Royals at the major league level. His time in Atlanta was going pretty well. While his 25.5% strikeout rate is clearly a step down from his peak days in Tampa, he still managed a 3.06 ERA and 3.09 FIP in 35 1/3 innings. However, Anderson’s stay in Kansas City wasn’t quite as strong. The right-hander’s strikeout rate dropped to just 19 percent, while his walk rate climbed to 9.8 percent from a high of 6.4 percent the year before. While Anderson posted the best slugging and barrel rates of his career with the Royals, his on-field results weren’t there, as he posted a 4.04 ERA and 5.07 FIP in 35 2/35 games in July. was removed from the list.
Since parting ways with the Royals, Anderson has briefly played on minor league deals with the Dodgers and Orioles but has not made it to the major league level. He ended the season on the minor league injured list, although early in the offseason, Baltimore expressed at least some level of interest in reuniting with Anderson this winter. However, it’s unclear whether such a reunion would come in the form of a minor league deal, as Alexander said the club has expressed interest in Anderson on a one-year deal, meaning he should be able to secure a major league deal.
As for the Twins, Anderson could certainly bring something meaningful to the club. After a down season in 2024, the right-hander is unlikely to receive a lot of guarantees in free agency at this time given his injury history. This is certainly good news for Minnesota, as the club seems more likely to cut payroll than significantly increase it. The Twins’ bullpen performs well in 2024, with a 3.65 FIP that actually ranks fifth in baseball, but their actual run defense leaves some room for improvement, as their 4.12 ERA ranks 19th in the majors. So far, the club’s only major contributor from last year’s bullpen is a lefty Caleb TirbaBut beefing up the bullpen isn’t a bad idea, and adding Anderson to the mix could deepen the club’s bullpen and allow them to utilize middle relief options such as Justin Topa and Jorge Alcala More wisely.
