Tim Anderson Hits Free Agency: White Sox Officially Heading In A New Direction

Another major domino has fallen in the White Sox offseason plans. On Saturday ESPN's Jesse Rodgers reported that the White Sox declined Tim Anderson's $14 million option. Anderson is now a free agent.

The decision of whether or not to pick up Anderson’s option was one of the biggest that White Sox general manager Chris Getz faced this offseason. 

Before the start of the season, it would have seemed like a foregone conclusion that the White Sox pick up Anderson’s option. He is a two-time All-Star, Sliver Slugger winner, and batting champion. But after an abysmal 101 loss season, the landscape has changed. 

Anderson’s poor performance over the last two seasons did not help matters. He was considered an above-average MLB hitter in just two of his final 11 months in a White Sox uniform. 

Anderson struggled in 2023 slashing just .245/.286/.296 with a career-low .582 OPS. These numbers are despite the fact he batted over .300 in his last 15 games. It highlights just how ineffective Anderson was last season.  General Manager Chris Getz was tight-lipped about his plans for Anderson. But he did not give the star shortstop a ringing endorsement when he was first asked about him. 

There were reasons to be skeptical. Anderson's walk rate (5.0), expected slugging percentage (.330) , weighted On-Base Average (.260), and expected weighted On-Base Average (.279) all ranked in the bottom eight percent of the MLB. Baseball Savant gives Anderson a Batting Run-Value of -30 which placed Anderson in the bottom one percentile in the league. 

These struggles are not just limited to the offensive end. Defensively he may be the worst shortstop in baseball. His -1 OAA places him in the league's bottom 31st percentile. Anderson also led the White Sox with 14 errors which was the sixth most in the American League. 

While Anderson has struggled the move signals that the White Sox do not plan on contending in 2024. There are no free-agent shortstops who are better than Anderson, especially for less than $14 million. 

The list of free agent shortstops this offseason includes, Javier Báez (opt-out), Elvis Andrus, Brandon Crawford, Amed Rosario, Paul DeJong (club option), Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Adalberto Mondesi. None of them would be considered an upgrade over Anderson even given his recent struggles. 

Anderson also could have served as a bridge to the White Sox top prospect Colson Montgomery. Picking up Anderson’s option would have allowed Montgomery another year to develop and give Anderson a chance to improve his stock. The White Sox then could have flipped him at the trade deadline and not lost Anderson for nothing. The White Sox may still sign a veteran to a one-year bridge deal but if they do it won't be to win next season.

Getz has made it clear that he is trying to shake up the culture.  After 101 losses changes needed to be made and freeing up an extra $14 million was in his best interest.

Anderson has been hampered by injuries and off-the-field distractions that clearly affected him this season. The last time we saw Anderson struggle like this was in 2017 when his best friend, Branden Moss, was tragically killed early in the season. 

On top of that, Anderson is one season removed from tearing a ligament in his hand. Even in what was considered a down year, Anderson managed to hit .301 but he hasn’t looked right since that injury-riddled 2022 campaign. 

All of the athleticism that made him such a special player has diminished. Coming into the 2023 season, Anderson owned an MLB-best .318 batting average since 2019. Along the way, he became the first player in White Sox history with three consecutive top-five finishes in the AL batting title race. Since returning from injury in June of 2022, he has been 40 percent worse than the average MLB hitter, per Fan Graphs. 

It is puzzling that the White Sox did not move him at the trade deadline. If the plan was to decline his option they could have at least tried to get something in return instead of letting him walk for nothing. Unless the $14 million they saved by declining Anderson's option is spent on a player who can help the White Sox in 2025 and beyond it makes very little sense to let a bridge shortstop for Montgomery walk.

The White Sox do need a second baseman and there were some talks that Anderson would be willing to move to second base if he was paid like a shortstop. In all likelihood the White Sox were not interested in extending him, hence why his option was declined.

Anderson spent his entire career on the White Sox. In eight seasons on the South Side, he slashed .282/.312/.422 with 338 RBIs, 117 stolen bases, 98 home runs, and a 16.2 WAR. In seven career postseason games, he batted .485. Anderson will forever be known as one of the most exciting players to put on a White Sox uniform.