Tim Anderson will enter the free-agent market for the first time in his career.
It looks like Tim Anderson’s time on the South Side is ending. Since his debut in 2016, the former first-round draft selection has been a constant in the White Sox lineup and clubhouse.
Anderson will get a $1 million buyout and become a free agent for the first time after managing just a.582 OPS over 524 plate appearances. Despite a steep decline in 2023 in his at-bat performance, teams are expecting a return to form from the 30-year-old shortstop.
The Chicago White Sox have declined the $14 million option on Anderson’s contract for 2024, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
Breaking: The White Sox are declining the option on shortstop Tim Anderson. He’s a free agent.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 4, 2023
The Tim Anderson era is over
Tim Anderson has been selected for two All-Star teams, won an AL Batting Title, and received a Silver Slugger award since making his Major League Baseball debut in 2016.
In 2023, Anderson struggled to a 60 OPS+, managing just a .245/.286/.296 slash line while hitting just home run. His slugging percentage came in below his batting average just the year prior, when Anderson hit .301 in a 2022 campaign where he managed a 109 OPS+. Tim Anderson’s problems went beyond the batter’s box, with his glove coming in at -0.9 defensive WAR and a -1 outs above average.
Unfortunately for the veteran shortstop, his most notable moment of the year was an on-field brawl with José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians in August that garnered Anderson a six-game suspension.
MLB free agency officially begins on Monday, Nov. 6, when the five-day exclusive negotiating window with players’ 2023 teams ends, and free agents can negotiate with teams as they please.
EMOTIONAL: Tim Anderson says farewell to White Sox in heartfelt Instagram post
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