The Tigers have agreed to release right-hander Drew Anderson to sign with the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization. The Landers send cash to the Tigers in return. According to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (X link), Anderson will make a $570K salary.
Anderson, 30, was in the Detroit organization after signing an offseason minor league deal. He’d been pitching in long relief at Triple-A Toledo, tossing 14 innings across nine appearances. Anderson punched out 16 hitters with a 3.86 ERA in a solid stint that caught the attention of the Landers. He would have had a tough time securing a spot in a Detroit bullpen that has been one of the game’s best, so the Tigers were content to let him pursue the KBO job.
This will be Anderson’s first stint in Korea. He pitched in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp between 2022-23, working to a cumulative 3.05 ERA over 115 innings. Anderson last appeared in the big leagues in 2021, throwing a career-high 22 innings with a 3.27 ERA for the Rangers. The former third-round draftee has also had brief stints with the Phillies and White Sox and played in parts of five MLB campaigns overall.
In a corresponding move, the Landers released right-hander Robert Dugger. KBO teams are only allowed to carry two foreign-born pitchers on their roster. Signing Anderson meant they had to move on from either Roenis Elías or Dugger. While Elías has a pedestrian 4.63 ERA over four starts, Dugger had a very rough showing. The right-hander was rocked for a 12.71 ERA in his six KBO appearances.
A former 18th-round pick of the Mariners, Dugger pitched to a 7.17 ERA with four MLB teams between 2019-22. He spent all of last season in Triple-A with the Rangers, where he posted a 4.31 ERA over 29 starts in an extremely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League setting.
If this was last year Anderson would have been up long ago, but the Tigers pitching has been great this year, outside of some bad starts by Maeda and relief outings where Lange walks everyone. Minus the blowup by Holton and Vest last night the BP has not given up much of anything so no room at the inn there. Skubal, Mize and Olson have kept improving and Flaherty has been good enough (lots of strikeouts but a few too many hits) with Manning in the wings. Still, Anderson would have been nice to keep around because we all know those injuries will hit at some point.
They still need more offense. It seems like they might test drive the young guys in the first half and then maybe consider adding at the deadline if they are still in it and no one steps up. I like that they are giving young players a chance though.
2026 lineup. Good luck American league
Greene
Clark
Carpenter
Torkelson
Keith
Malloy
Jung
Rogers
Baez
Neither Keith nor Malloy have shown that they can hit MLB pitching yet. Neither Clark nor Jung have shown they can hit in AAA. Tork hasn’t reconciled what looks like episodic ADD and Baez hits well whenever I think I’ve won the Powerball jackpot, which is…exceedingly rarely.
As much as I’d like to be more optimistic, it’s going to be a longer, much more nerve wracking journey.
It looks like a strong projected lineup for 2026 especially if they all develop as expected. I don’t think Baez or Rogers will be starters by then and hopefully they have either developed or brought in younger and better options for those spots by 2026. Lots of things could still happen between now and then and maybe some of the other minor leaguers/young players blossom (Leonard, Meadows, Graham, Bigbie). The next wave looks interesting too with Cerkownyk, Max Anderson and McGonigle being a few that catch my eye.
Tiger fans have been living on the hopes of projections for prospects about 10 years now…..even I’m starting to believe it. It’s sad….
No concerted effort by ownership and management to accelerate the “rebuild” process. Boo.
Maeda and Flaherty need to be much, much better. At least a couple of hopeful signing this year that could get some return. No signings of sure things to trade for top prospect names. No strategy other than getting lucky.
They could be in it; but one run games against lower ranked teams is what we have so far. Could be, that’s why they play the games…. I hope so. There are a lot of good players and prospects on the team. How about some slam dunks? Rah Rah go team.same comments, different year.
I’m pretty sure.that Bum who appeared a couple.years ago…is on the payroll
..or.should.be
So, we’re up to 2026?
Wow.
But…but….this is 2024…
It’s a money making machine, taking advantage of guys and gals, who just want to be good Americans, eat apple pie and love their mothers.
Tickets for minor league games, good seats, went from $20 to $48…. thanks MLB , thanks Manfred for ruining all good things…… no more Express for this American.
Baseball is no longer run by people who LOVE BASEBALL. Baseball is run by people who LOVE MONEY.