There was a time when Tim Anderson was among Major League Baseball’s best players. In 2019, he led the league in batting average (.335), tallying 18 home runs and 56 RBIs. Over the next three seasons, he won the Silver Slugger Award and earned two MLB All-Star selections.
But since then, he fell from grace after hitting .245 in 2023. An MCL injury might have limited him last year, as his .582 OPS ranks last among qualified hitters. This season, Anderson's woes led to his designation before the Miami Marlins' 8-3 loss against the Boston Red Sox.
Before the reassignment, Anderson was hitting a career-low .214 with a .237 on-base percentage and .226 slugging percentage. Those are not the numbers the Marlins expected from the shortstop they signed to a one-year, $5 million contract in February. Worst yet, his -1.2 WAR is the worst among 27 shortstops with at least 240 plate appearances this season.
The Marlins move on from Tim Anderson pic.twitter.com/ZEx5LxtGOc
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 2, 2024
It's the second time the Marlins have designated a player to the minors this season. Anderson follows catcher Christian Betancourt, who was also designated before getting released in June. However, there's logic to what the Marlins are doing because they have the league's third-worst record (30-55) days before the All-Star break.
Xavier Edwards, the rookie they recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville, is taking Anderson's place. Edwards had one hit and one strikeout in four at-bats during the Marlins' latest game against the Red Sox.
-Lance Fernandez