(670 The Score) One of the biggest questions looming for the White Sox this offseason revolves around veteran shortstop Tim Anderson’s future.
Should the White Sox move on from him? Or should they attempt to salvage him in some way and hope for improved production?
The White Sox hold a $14-million team option on the 30-year-old Anderson for the 2024 season. Anderson has struggled mightily in 2023, hitting .248 with one homer, 25 RBIs and a .590 OPS in 120 games. He has dealt with injuries each of the past two seasons, and his All-Star form of 2021 and the first half of the 2022 season dropped off significantly as the team also disappointed.
In a White Sox roundtable segment Tuesday on the Bernstein & Holmes Show, baseball writer James Fegan and Sox Machine Podcast co-hosts Jim Margalus and Josh Nelson pondered how the White Sox should handle Anderson’s future.
Margalus was torn on what the White Sox should do, noting that he sees the argument from both sides.
“In the certain form that Anderson is in right now, he doesn’t do anything well,” Margalus said. “He’s not barreling the ball up well. He doesn’t draw walks. He’s never drawn walks. His defense is too scattershot to support his bat. So when you look at $14 million and trying to figure out what he brings the team in his current form, there’s nothing reliable. On the other hand, the market for free agency is so barren in the middle infield – and you still want to provide (top prospect) Colson Montgomery some time to prove that he’s ready for the majors – so I don’t know if you want to create a vacuum up top that you patch with like, maybe Elvis Andrus comes back.”
In the end, Margalus believes if the White Sox can use the money currently penciled in for Anderson on a younger, longer-term solution at any position, they should take that route.
“If that 14 million can be spent to better invest in a long-term solution elsewhere, then I think they should move on,” Margalus said.
Nelson pointed out the White Sox’s sharp decline in attendance in 2023 and their television contract being set to be up after the 2024 season could be factors in their decision. Those could potentially push the White Sox to decline Anderson’s $14-million option to keep payroll down.
For his part, Fegan believes what Anderson wants will be important as well.
“It would be beneficial to Tim to get out of a situation where there’s the expectations to be the player that he is, which come with batting lead-off every day even as he’s going through the worst season of his life and is searching for his swing,” Fegan said.