A club option in Tim Anderson’s contract couldn’t be coming at a better time for the White Sox.
It’s been an abysmal season for the longtime White Sox shortstop, whose caliber of play has been in a freefall. After hitting north of .300 each of the last four years, Anderson is hitting a mere .238 with a dreadful .568 OPS. Getting dropped by Jose Ramirez in a fight earlier this month was arguably the nadir.
Anderson historically has been the epitome of reliability for Chicago, but his future has never seemed more uncertain with a club option for $14 million in Anderson’s contract for next season. The White Sox bringing him back at all, let alone at that price tag, is hardly a lock, and Audacy MLB insider Jon Heyman told The Mully & Haugh Show he sees a change of scenery coming.
“Well, I do think they have to move on from Tim Anderson at this point, it's been a disastrous season obviously on the field. He lost that fight, not too good. I mean, they have to move on. They certainly would have traded him if there was any market.
"I do think he’s gonna get a Major League deal, one-year deal. He’s been a really good player for years, this year is perhaps an aberration and someone will take a chance and give him a one-year deal at the Major League level I’m sure. But I cannot see them bringing him back at this point. It’s time for a change of scenery there."
Anderson’s free agency, if he reaches it, could be an interesting one. There are not many great shortstops in line to hit the market this offseason, and if Anderson had a typical year, he would headline the group.
Because of the relative dearth of options, he might be able to get a more than a cheap prove-it deal. With the way this season has gone though, that’s hardly a guarantee.
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