Reds Select Chase Anderson, Designate Max Schrock

The Reds announced they have selected the contract of right-hander Chase Anderson, who will take the ball and start tonight’s game. Fellow right-hander Dauri Moreta was optioned to open a spot on the active roster, while utility player Max Schrock was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man.

Anderson, 34, is a veteran who had his best seasons with the Brewers. From 2016 to 2019, he logged 590 innings with a  3.83 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 36.1% ground ball rate. It’s been a rough few years since then, however, with Anderson registering a 7.22 ERA with the Blue Jays in 2020 and then 6.75 with the Phillies last year.

This season, he signed a minor league deal with the Tigers, eventually opting out and signing with the Rays on another minor league pact. Between the two organizations, he’s thrown 80 Triple-A innings on the year with a 4.50 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. He opted out of his Rays contract last week and latched on with Cincy for his third minors deal of the year.

The Reds have placed four starters on the IL this month: Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, Robert Dugger and T.J. Zeuch. With all of those arms hitting the shelf, it’s created an opening for a veteran like Anderson to come in and eat some innings.

As for Schrock, 27, he’s changed jerseys a few times in his career. He was drafted by the Nats before being traded to the A’s and then the Cardinals. He was later claimed off waivers by the Cubs and then the Reds. He’s gotten into 77 MLB games so far, primarily with Cincy, hitting .256/.292/.393 in that time. The resulting wRC+ of 76 indicates he’s been 24% below league average, though he’s shown more promise in the minors. Between last year and this year, he’s hit .294/.336/.452 in Triple-A for a wRC+ of 109. He also brings defensive versatility to the table, having played all three non-shortstop spots on the infield, in addition to time in the outfield corners.

Schrock has been on the minor league injured list since early August due to a right patella fracture. Since injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers and the trade deadline has passed, the Reds will have no choice but to put Schrock on release waivers in the coming days.