The Angels announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. and recalled righty Víctor Mederos. In corresponding moves. they optioned righty Michael Darrell-Hicks and designated righty Ian Anderson for assignment.
Anderson was just acquired from Atlanta prior to Opening Day. It was a one-for-one swap with lefty José Suarez going the other way. It seems neither club was particularly committed to the player it acquired. Suarez was designated for assignment by Atlanta on Monday and now the Angels have followed suit with Anderson just two days later.
The results from Anderson have not been good so far this year. A starter for most of his career, the Halos kept him in relief. He tossed 9 1/3 innings over seven appearances but he has allowed 12 earned runs in that time, with eight strikeouts and seven walks.
That performance has bumped him off the roster. Since he’s out of options, the Angels had to remove him from the 40-man roster entirely. They will now have a week to determine what’s next for him. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Angels could take up to five days to explore trade interest.
If any club wants Anderson, it would be based on his results from a few years ago. Over 2020 and 2021, he tossed 160 2/3 innings with the club, posting a 3.25 earned run average in that time. His 10% walk rate was a tad high but he also punched out 24.5% of batters faced and got grounders on 49.9% of balls in play. He also made four postseason starts in each of those seasons, helping Atlanta win the World Series in the latter season.
But it’s been rough sledding since then. His ERA jumped to 5.00 in 2022 and then he required Tommy John surgery in April of 2023, shortly after he had been optioned to the minors. He spent the rest of 2023 recovering. He returned to the mound last year and logged 68 innings over 15 minor league starts. He had a 3.44 ERA in those with a 23.8% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate and 51.9% ground ball rate.
He exhausted his options during that time, which has led to his current roster bubble situation. Perhaps he can find some club that’s willing to give him a roster spot and some time to get back on track. He hasn’t been good for a few years but health was at least part of that. He’s a former third overall pick, top prospect and even has some past major league success. If he lands somewhere, he has less than three years of major league service, meaning he could be retained for three years beyond this one.
As for Edwards, he’s a veteran journeyman. He actually signed with a Mexican League club in early March but the Angels signed him a couple of weeks later. He has tossed 11 2/3 innings over seven appearances for Triple-A Salt Lake with a 1.54 ERA. His major league career goes back a decade, with a 3.54 ERA in 280 innings, but it’s been almost two years since he was a regular. His 2023 season was ended by a stress fracture in his shoulder and he only made one appearance in the majors last year.
Last night, starter José Soriano only lasted 3 1/3 innings, forcing the Angels to lean heavily on the bullpen. That included Anderson and Darrell-Hicks, who have been swapped out for two fresh arms.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro,Imagn Images
Here’s the chance for my fellow Braves fans who believe the Braves gave Anderson away for nothing to to voice their hopes that the Braves “pull a Jesse Chavez” and get Anderson back.
Sad thing is that we could have probably used him yesterday
True. Any warm body would have been better than the performances put up by Montero, De La Santos, and Wiles last night. Have to wonder how much time Montero and DLS have left. Kimbrel’s going to take one of those roster spots by next week. Wouldn’t be surprised to see the Braves also call up Davis Daniel and AJSS at the same time. Blewett probably shouldn’t rent long term either.
You didn’t want his stat line from yesterday. At the end he looked like he knew he was likely gone after the game.
Funny you mentioned that conin. I noticed the look on his face the last 2 times he’s been pulled. Looked like he was getting ready to walk the plank both times.
I was at the game last night and said this is his last game as a Angels player. If I knew he knew. I thought he was good at one point of his career.
He was good in his first year w/Atlanta. The shoulder injury in 22 has really derailed his career. Never regained his command after his return. Can’t keep walking the park and expect to keep getting MLB opportunities—-especially when you’re out of mil options.
I wish you had him yesterday, ha ha.
He would have just added to the misery lol.
I’m not against the Braves bringing him back on a minor league deal. What would it hurt to let him pitch at AAA and see if they can catch lighting in a bottle.
Forget the lightening. Better to see if they can coax him into throwing strikes again instead of walking half a dozen guys every time he pitches.
I’m not against the Braves bringing him back, be awesome for him to figure it out, but ships prolly sailed
Honestly the bullpen is so bad, I’d like him back on a minor league deal. I mean, he was suppose to be legit and had the magic once. Full commit to him being a bullpen guy and see what happens. But only a bullpen guy
@bravesfan: The Angels just tried that w/Anderson. Walk after walk after walk….and some screaming line drives that terrified the married men in the Angels infield. Their infielders and pitching coach are probably popping champagne corks right now after his dfa. Of’ers can rest up too—-fewer track meets and wall collisions.
Anderson was one of the earliest pitchers to perfect “tunneling” his pitches. Once that trick no longer fooled hitters, they could focus on his FB, which didn’t move much, and his changeup, which moved to predictable spots. (Not that I could have hit either one, mind you.)
In the shuffling madness
Of the locomotive breath
Runs the all-time loser
Headlong to his death
Carl had a rough time with the Padres let’s hope this goes better.
Thought he retired a while ago. Seems like a hail Mary for the Angels.
Thank God
Hymn 43.
Ian Anderson will forever be a Braves postseason legend. Sucks he can’t seem to get it figured out.
Seems a case of the league adjusted and he hasn’t been able to adjust back. I had hoped a lot of it could’ve been explained by trying to play through an injury, but spring and the few appearances he got with Anaheim showed he’s still got to figure out how to be the best version of himself.
From sitting in an MLB dugout to sitting on a park bench.
Snot is running down his nose.
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes!
Hey Agualung.
Keeps getting worse. Now who is going to sing and play flute?
Singers and flute players that can’t throw strikes are a dime a dozen.
And guitar players that can’t hit.
– Carlos Santana
Orioles will send him
Perry strikes again
Really? You really still want Suarez? At least we got something back for him, even if it didn’t end up working out.
Cardinals better get him. He will be better than half of the team around him
If the Angels make a transaction and there’s a forest nearby, does anybody care?
-Confucius, probably
Maybe. Somebody from the Braves FO or fanbase is probably hiding in that nearby forest.
So the trade of two guys their previous teams didn’t want turned out pretty predictably.
Aqualung, my friend
Don’t you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see, it’s only me…
—-
Ian Anderson’s only value now seems to be Jethro Tull references, be he the singer or the pitcher.
The Mets are in the business of fixing Angel and Braves castoffs. Let’s get him to the Mets pitching lab.
Aqualung my friend,
You walked too many batters,
You poor ole sob,,
You see you can only leave!
Rumor has it he smells like a locomotive breath.
Mederos is another Suarez. I’m not sure what they see in him.
Designate his fruity flute too
More metal than Metallica.
Could see a minor trade between the Phillies and Angels Kody Clemens for Ian Anderson. Although I think they should try to do that swap with Cleveland for Tristan McKenzie. At least they are healthy arms for that over worked Philly bullpen.
That Suarez-for-Anderson trade really worked out for both sides didn’t it…
It was a deal of…..”sound and fury signifying nothing.”
I’m more of a Hardee’s guy.
At least Jose Suarez actually helped the Braves win a couple of games but he was playing with fire with all the walks and eventually the results were going to turn sour for him. Braves dumped him before that happened.
Ian should go to indy ball comeback to his hometown maybe try pitching for Tri-City ValleyCats
First round bust if there ever was one
First round busts don’t win games in the WS w/5 no hit innings or have the kind of strong rookie year Anderson did. First rounders aren’t a bust just because they suffered a shoulder injury that derailed their career. First round busts disappear into history w/out ever having made a MLB appearance or experiencing any success at the MLB level.
Get him back AA.
Really unfortunate to hear of the 2021 world series hero having fallen on hard times. Is there a gofundme page I can donate to for him?
I really don’t mind if you sit this one out.
Angels just bring in more trash