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Nick Anderson

Royals Acquire Nick Anderson

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The Royals have acquired right-hander Nick Anderson from the Braves, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (X links).  The Braves will receive cash considerations in return.

Anderson is arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter, and is projected to earn $1.6MM in 2024.  The deal removes yet another player from the Braves’ arbitration class, which is now down to six players from 13 at the start of the offseason.  Since Anderson was a non-tender candidate anyway, the trade allows Atlanta to at least collect a small fee rather than lose the righty for nothing by cutting him prior to tonight’s 7pm CT non-tender deadline.

Best known for his two outstanding years as a bullpen weapon for the Marlins and Rays, Anderson posted great numbers in 2019-20, before running out of gas late in Tampa’s run to the 2020 World Series.  The righty was never quite the same again, as injuries cost him essentially all of the next two seasons.  Anderson threw just six innings in 2021 before a UCL injury put him on the shelf, and an internal brace procedure in his right elbow was eventually required.  Between this surgery and then a bout of plantar fasciitis, Anderson didn’t see any big league action during the 2022 campaign.

It was just over a year ago that the Rays waived Anderson, only for the Braves to sign him to a split contract.  The good news is that Anderson was able to return to a Major League mound, and he was pretty effective in posting a 3.06 ERA over 35 1/3 innings and 35 appearances, along with a 25.5% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate.  Unfortunately, injuries again sidelined the 33-year-old, as he missed over two months due to a shoulder strain and made only three minor league appearances after July 7.  Even at a pretty modest arbitration salary, Anderson was deemed expendable by the Braves.

Matt Quatraro was a coach with the Rays during Anderson’s tenure in Tampa Bay, so the Royals manager is very familiar with what Anderson can do when healthy.  Even the righty’s 2023 numbers indicated that he still has some of his old magic still in the tank, and for a Kansas City team in need of bullpen help, adding Anderson is a relatively inexpensive bet the Royals are willing to make.  Since the Royals might be out of contention again next season, Anderson might also be an intriguing trade chip to be flipped at the deadline, particularly since he is controllable through the 2025 season.

NL Notes: Fried, Anderson, Braves, McGough, Wiemer

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Max Fried’s next start is being pushed back, as the Braves southpaw won’t next pitch until sometime during Atlanta’s upcoming series with the Nationals that starts on Thursday.  In Fried’s last outing on September 12, he developed a hot spot on his finger, and manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that the club was being cautious to prevent Fried from developing a blister.  With the NL East clinched, the Braves naturally want to make sure their roster is healthy and set for the playoffs, especially a front-of-the-rotation arm like Fried.

Nick Anderson’s participation on a postseason roster has yet to be determined, as the righty has missed over two months due to a shoulder strain.  Anderson will start a Triple-A rehab assignment on Tuesday, but as Toscano notes, the reliever won’t have a lot of time to ramp up since the Triple-A season ends next weekend.  Atlanta will get some extra time to decide on Anderson, Jesse Chavez (also on a rehab assignment) and other players on the borderline of its roster due to the first-round bye in the playoffs, and the pitching mix figures to get particular attention.  The Braves’ hurlers have been quite good for most of the season, but have a collective 5.60 ERA since August 31 — the fifth-highest in baseball in that span.

More from around the National League…

  • The Diamondbacks placed right-hander Scott McGough on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, and McGough might only pitch again if Arizona makes the postseason, manager Torey Lovullo told MLB.com and other reporters.  Signed to a two-year, $6.25MM free agent last winter, McGough was making his return to North American baseball after an impressive four-year run in Japan, and the D’Backs had designs on using McGough in high-leverage relief situations.  The results were mixed, as McGough displayed some shaky control and allowed a lot of hard contact in posting a 4.73 ERA over 70 1/3 innings, though his 28.6% strikeout rate and 49.2% grounder rate were both strong.  The righty had nine saves while getting some looks in the closer role before Arizona acquired Paul Sewald at the trade deadline.
  • The Brewers activated outfielder Blake Perkins from the 10-day injured list today, as Perkins returned to the roster after missing about five weeks due to an oblique strain.  In the corresponding move, Milwaukee optioned Joey Wiemer to Triple-A, as Wiemer has been mired in a lengthy lengthy slump of just three hits in his last 38 plate appearances.  This will mark Wiemer’s first Triple-A action of 2023, as he has spent the rest of his rookie season in the bigs, hitting .204/.283/.362 over 410 plate appearances.  Injuries within the Brewers’ outfield have led to regular playing time for the former top-100 prospect, and while Wiemer hasn’t contributed much at the plate, his glovework in center field has been well above average.  However, Sal Frelick has gradually taken over regular center field duty, as Wiemer hasn’t hit enough to retain his spot in the lineup.  With the Brewers heading towards the NL Central title, it remains to be seen if Wiemer might return to the active roster before the season is out, or if his defense might merit him a postseason roster slot.

Braves Claim Dalton Guthrie, Place Nick Anderson On 60-Day IL

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The Braves have claimed outfielder Dalton Guthrie off waivers from the Giants, per announcements from both clubs. Guthrie has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. In a corresponding 40-man roster move, the Braves placed right-hander Nick Anderson on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder strain. San Francisco designated Guthrie for assignment last week.

Guthrie, 27, was only just acquired from the Phillies three weeks ago but quickly lost his roster spot when the Giants added Mauricio Llovera to the roster. Guthrie made his major league debut with the Phils last year and hit .333/.500/.476 in 28 plate appearances. But in 28 more trips to the plate this year, he hit just .167/.286/.208. He’s generally hit well at the Triple-A level, slashing .296/.363/.467 between last season and this one for a wRC+ of 117.

He’s also shown some flashes of speed, including swiping 21 bags in Triple-A last year, though he was caught six times. He’s capable of playing all three outfield spots and has also lined up at the three infield positions to the left of first base. He still has a full slate of options, one of which he’s currently using here in 2023, and can potentially serve as a versatile depth piece for Atlanta for the foreseeable future.

Anderson, 33, has occasionally looked like an elite reliever but has frequently been waylaid by injuries. He posted a 3.32 ERA between the Marlins and Rays in 2019 and then dropped that all the way to 0.55 in 2020, striking out 44.8% of batters faced in the shortened season.

He would hardly pitch in the next two years, however. He was diagnosed with a partial tear of his UCL during Spring Training in 2021 and didn’t initially go under the knife. He tossed six innings that year but eventually underwent an internal brace procedure in October, which wiped out his 2022.

He was non-tendered by Tampa last year and landed with Atlanta. He has been having a nice bounceback season up until this point, making 35 appearances with a 3.06 ERA, striking out 25.5% of opponents while walking 6.4% and getting grounders on 41.7% of balls in play. He moved into a leverage role with Atlanta, earning 15 holds this year. However, the fact that he’s been immediately placed on the 60-day IL suggests that his shoulder strain is fairly significant. Anderson will now be ineligible to return until early September.

Kyle Wright To Begin Season On 15-Day IL; Braves To Use Jared Shuster, Dylan Dodd In Rotation

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10:51AM: In related Braves roster news, right-handers Nick Anderson and Michael Tonkin will both be in the team’s Opening Day bullpen.  (Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was among those to report the news.)  Anderson and Tonkin will take over the roster spots created with Wright and Raisel Iglesias slated to start the year on the IL.

8:59AM: The battle to decide the Braves’ fifth starter has ended in something of a draw, as now both Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd will be making early turns in the rotation.  According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (Twitter links), Kyle Wright is getting some “extra time” to fully prep for the season in the wake of some shoulder soreness, thus creating an opportunity for both Shuster and Dylan to make starts.  Wright will go onto the 15-day injured list, The Athletic’s David O’Brien notes, but it seems possible that Wright will leave the IL when first eligible.

Wright’s usual offseason routine was interrupted in January when he received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder.  That delayed Wright’s normal plan by roughly three weeks, and he didn’t make his first Spring Training start until last Monday.  The Braves intend to give Wright an outing in minor league spring camp, and then a Triple-A start before bringing him onto the active roster.  Counting the three days of IL backdating, Wright is seemingly in line to make his 2023 debut during the Braves’ series with the Reds from April 10-12.

Atlanta opens its season on March 30, has an off-day on March 31, and then has a game every day until April 13.  This busy early schedule creates an early need for a full rotation, though Bowman writes that Dodd may not officially break camp, as the Braves will wait to call him up until his planned start on April 4 in St. Louis.  That will give Atlanta a little more time in figuring out its 40-man roster maneuverings, as neither Dodd or Shuster are currently on the 40-man.  (Other non-roster invitees like Jesse Chavez, Ehire Adrianza, and Kevin Pillar also look like solid bets to make the team, creating more need for extra space.)

Shuster seemingly has the slight edge over Dodd in the race to stick in the rotation, but now both southpaws will get a further opportunity to audition on the big league stage.  It is a somewhat surprising outcome that didn’t appear to be on the radar when Atlanta started Spring Training, given that Ian Anderson, Bryce Elder, and Michael Soroka were the likeliest contenders to be the fifth starter.  However, Shuster and Dodd both pitched so well that the Braves narrowed the field down to the two rookies, who will each be making their Major League debuts.

Braves Option Vaughn Grissom, Braden Shewmake

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The Braves will option infielders Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake to Triple-A, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Both had been in line for the Opening Day shortstop job in Atlanta, but it seems that will now go to Orlando Arcia. David O’Brien of The Athletic relays that Arcia will get the starting gig with Ehire Adrianza as the utility infielder. Adrianza is not currently on the 40-man roster. The Braves subsequently announced the moves as part of a larger batch of roster cuts, including outfielders Jordan Luplow, Eli White and right-hander Nick Anderson.

The Braves went into this offseason with a shortstop vacancy for the first time in years, as Dansby Swanson has held down that job since late 2016. Swanson reached free agency this offseason and was considered one of the “Big Four” shortstops, alongside Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts. Despite that robust class of shortstops, Atlanta seemingly had little interest in either re-signing Swanson or going after anyone else. Eventually, the offseason came and went with the club’s big move being the trade for catcher Sean Murphy, who was later extended.

It seemed the club was satisfied with its internal shortstop options, with Grissom and Arcia the favorites for the role. Grissom had made his debut last year when he was just 21 years old, largely filling in at second base for the injured Ozzie Albies. He hit well in his first 156 plate appearances, producing a batting line of .291/.353/.440 for a wRC+ of 121. However, that may have been buoyed by a red hot start, as he hit .347/.398/.558 through September 7 but just .174/.264/.196 after.

Nonetheless, it was an encouraging start for such a young player and the club seemed to be a big believer in his abilities. Though he largely played second in his MLB debut, he was a shortstop in the minors. But that didn’t mean moving back to the other side of the bag was an obvious choice, as prospect evaluators had long raised questions about his ability to stick at short. It seems the club decided it was worth pursuing regardless of those concerns, as they tasked coach Ron Washington with working on Grissom’s shortstop defense this offseason. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos discussed the situation in January, after Swanson had signed with the Cubs.

“I can see how the scouting community might have questions about Vaughn. I had questions about Vaughn when I first saw him,” Anthopoulos said (link via Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “And I’ve been wrong plenty of times. The difference is we have a guy in Ron Washington who’s unbelievable with this stuff. He wouldn’t just say something to say it. … And, look, we don’t know how Vaughn’s going to hit. He’s got to earn the job. Orlando Arcia can do it, too. But Wash really believes in Vaughn. We believe in Vaughn, too, but we’re going to go with who we think the expert in that area is, and I don’t know anybody better in the game than Ron.”

For most of the winter, it seemed it would be a two-horse race for the job between Grissom and Arcia, but there was a late charge from Shewmake. It was reported just yesterday that Shewmake’s hot spring was making things interesting. His prospect profile was essentially the inverse of Grissom’s, as his glovework is graded much stronger than his bat. But he hit .323/.382/.452 in spring action and seemed to give himself some momentum to take the job.

However, it now seems that neither of the youngsters will get the job, at least here at the end of spring. With Grissom and Shewmake both getting optioned today, it seems they’ve decided to go with the veteran in Arcia. Though he is more established, with 642 games of major league experience, there’s still risk with the 28-year-old. He’s coming off a fairly solid season as the club’s utility infielder, hitting .244/.316/.416 for a wRC+ of 104. However, the rest of his work at the plate is less impressive, as he had hit .242/.293/.363 coming into the year for a wRC+ of 70. He also hasn’t had a full-time shortstop gig since 2019, when defensive metrics gave him poor reviews and he was pushed into a utility role over the past three years.

This is merely a temporary move and the club could quickly call up Grissom or Shewmake early on in the season. However, it’s still a surprising result given the club’s recent history. They’ve shown a strong willingness to be aggressive with their young players, with both Grissom and Michael Harris II skipping Triple-A last year, going straight from Double-A to the bigs. The club then avoided free agents all winter, seeming to have little interest in either the marquee players or even a modest deal for someone like Elvis Andrus. It seems they’ve decided Grissom and Shewmake need more time and are now left with Arcia as their top option at short, at least for the time being.

The move could have service time implications for the younger players, as Shewmake’s clock has yet to start ticking and Grissom has a tally of 57 days. Whether either of them can reach the one-year mark this season will depend upon how long they eventually spend in the minors. It’s possible to earn a full year of service time even while spending time in the minors if a youngster finishes in the top two of Rookie of the Year balloting, but they also have to appear at least two preseason Top 100 prospect lists at Baseball America, ESPN or MLB Pipeline. Neither Grissom or Shewmake are on any of those three lists at the moment.

With Arcia securing the starting gig, Adrianza will apparently need to be added to the roster to take the backup infield job. He hit just .175/.264/.206 last year but is capable of playing any position other than catcher.

Turning to the other moves, Luplow and White were both in contention for a job backing up the starting outfield trio of Ronald Acuña Jr., Eddie Rosario and Harris. They seem to have been bumped out of that contest, at least for Opening Day. That perhaps will allow Sam Hilliard and Kevin Pillar to secure jobs on the bench. Nick Anderson was in the running for a bullpen job but will start the season in the minors.

Atlanta will need to make some roster moves in the wake of all this, but they may have already gotten a head start on that. Neither of Adrianza or Pillar are on the roster and it looks like the fifth starter job will go to one of Dylan Dodd or Jared Shuster, with neither of them being on the roster either. However, they recently opened a couple of spots when they lost Dennis Santana on waivers to the Twins and outrighted Jackson Stephens. They can also open a couple more by transferring Huascar Ynoa and Tyler Matzek to the 60-day IL, with both pitchers likely out for the season due to Tommy John surgery.

Braves Designate Rylan Bannon For Assignment

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The Braves announced this evening they’ve designated infielder Rylan Bannon for assignment. The move opens a 40-man roster spot for Nick Anderson, who has been signed to a one-year contract as previously reported.

Bannon has moved around the league over the past couple months. A longtime Orioles farmhand, he was designated for assignment by Baltimore in early August. He moved to the Dodgers and Braves in rapid succession via waivers. He didn’t play in the majors with L.A. and only suited up once for Atlanta, appearing as a late-game defensive substitution. Bannon only has five games of big league experience overall, but he’s attracted interest from a number of teams as infield depth.

A Xavier University product, he put together a .249/.367/.421 line over 411 Triple-A plate appearances this year. Bannon connected on 13 home runs and walked in a stellar 14.4% of his trips to the plate at that level. He punched out at a slightly elevated 24.3% clip, but he blended a very patient approach with decent power. The 26-year-old can’t play shortstop, though he’s capable of suiting up at either second or third base.

The Braves will now have a week to trade Bannon or look to run him through waivers. He still has a minor league option year remaining, so he could occupy a similar depth role he played this past season if another team is willing to hand him a 40-man roster spot.

Braves To Sign Nick Anderson

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The Braves are signing right-hander Nick Anderson, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. It’s a split deal where Anderson will earn $875K in the big leagues and $180K in the minors.

Anderson, 32, was one of the best relievers in the league over 2019 and 2020. Splitting his time between the Marlins and Rays, he pitched 81 1/3 innings over those two campaigns. In that time, he had a combined 2.77 ERA, along with absurd rate stats, striking out 42.2% of batters faced while walking just 6.5% of them.

Anderson has faced his share of struggles over the past two years, however. He was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear during Spring Training in 2021. He made just six appearances before going on the IL and never returned. He underwent a UCL brace procedure in October of that year and didn’t return until August of 2022. Upon his return, the Rays kept him in the minors until plantar fasciitis ended his season.

Anderson was eligible for arbitration this year, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a contract of $845K, just a smidge above next year’s $720K league minimum. Despite that modest price point, the Rays were facing a roster crunch and decided to move on from Anderson. He was placed on waivers this week and cleared. Since he has over three years of MLB service time, he was eligible to elect free agency and did so.

For Atlanta, this is a low-risk, high-reward play. Anderson isn’t costing much, and would be huge value if he can rediscover his previous form. It’s possible that the injuries prevent him from reaching his previous heights, but in that scenario, they will have lost a small amount of money in MLB terms. If the gamble pays off, there will be long-term benefits, since Anderson could be retained for two more seasons via arbitration.

It’s possible Atlanta is facing an offseason of tight spending, despite five straight NL East titles. The club has never paid the competitive balance tax before, but their slew of contract extensions have pushed them close to the brink. The lowest CBT threshold for 2023 is $233MM, and the club is currently at $228MM, in the estimation of Roster Resource. It’s possible that the club is willing to pay the tax for the first time in order to retain Dansby Swanson at shortstop or else replace him. In the meantime, they’ve found a low-cost flier that could potentially help their bullpen.

Nick Anderson Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency

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November 10: Anderson has cleared waivers and elected free agency, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

November 9: The Rays have placed right-hander Nick Anderson on outright waivers, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The hard-throwing reliever no longer occupies a spot on Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster, and other clubs have an opportunity to add him if they’re willing to devote him a roster spot.

It’s certainly not the way the Rays envisioned Anderson’s tenure in the organization coming to a close. He had a breakout rookie season with the Marlins in 2019, and Tampa Bay flipped highly-touted outfielder Jesús Sánchez to Miami to add him at the deadline. Anderson posted a 2.11 ERA with a laughable 52.6% strikeout rate in 21 1/3 innings down the stretch. Anderson followed up with a 0.55 ERA across 16 1/3 innings during the shortened 2020 season, working as manager Kevin Cash’s most-trusted leverage arm in both of those years.

Unfortunately, Anderson’s form was diminished in the 2020 postseason. He had some forearm inflammation late in that season, proving a precursor to two years lost to injury. He was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear during Spring Training 2021. He appeared in only six games before going back on the IL. Last October, Anderson underwent a UCL brace procedure to repair his ligament. He was out until August, then suffered plantar fasciitis in his right foot late in the year.

Anderson’s 2022 season consisted of just 16 innings with Triple-A Durham. He put up a 5.63 ERA with a modest 17.4% strikeout rate, and that diminished form eventually led the Rays to cut bait.

With between three and four years of MLB service, Anderson is eligible for arbitration for the first time. He’s projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for just an $845K salary, barely above the league minimum. That could lead another team to take a look at a formerly elite bullpen arm via waivers. If Anderson were to go unclaimed, he’d have the right to refuse an outright assignment in favor of minor league free agency.

Rays Select Dusten Knight, Place Jalen Beeks On IL

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The Rays announced a series of roster moves prior to today’s game, selecting the contract of right-hander Dusten Knight. He will take the active roster spot of left-hander Jalen Beeks, who has been placed on the 15-day IL due to lower leg tightness, retroactive to September 18. To create room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Nick Anderson was recalled and placed on the 60-day IL due to plantar fasciitis.

The loss of Beeks will be a notable one for the Rays, as the southpaw has somewhat quietly been having an excellent season. After missing all of 2021 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Beeks has thrown 61 innings here in 2022 with a 2.80 ERA, 28% strikeout rate, 8.8% walk rate and 45.8% ground ball rate. This is the second time he’s landed on the IL this year due to his leg and this one will keep him out of action until the final days of the regular season, at least.

Knight, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Rays in the offseason and has bounced on and off the roster since then. This is the third time the club has selected his contract, with the previous two instances resulting in him being designated for assignment before clearing waivers and being outrighted. He’s thrown eight innings in the big leagues with a 4.50 ERA but had a more substantial showing in Triple-A. He’s thrown 54 1/3 innings for the Bulls with a 3.48 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate and 48.5% ground ball rate, but an unfortunate 13.7% walk rate.

The move for Anderson is a formality, as it had already been reported that he would miss the remainder of the season. By placing him on the 60-day IL, the Rays have freed up a roster spot for Knight but will now pay Anderson a major league salary for the final two weeks of the season, with Anderson also earning service time for that stretch.

Injury Notes: Anderson, Patiño, Brieske

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Tampa Bay Ray veteran reliever Nick Anderson’s 2022 season is officially over, as per Marc Topkin of Tampa Bay Times. One of the leaders of Tampa Bay’s famed relief corps will call 2022 a lost season, having dealt with a torn elbow ligament in March 2021 and, more recently, plantar fasciitis on his right foot. Anderson did make it back to Triple-A, but posted a 6.19 ERA in 16 innings and gave up 5 home runs in the small sample. This poor showing led the Rays to opt to keep him in Durham, despite their constant bullpen shuffling.

In the three prior seasons, including the 6 innings pitched in 2021, the righty has put up a dominant 2.89 ERA in 87 1/3 innings, with a high 39.6 K% and a low 6.7 BB%. The Rays still have control over Anderson for the next three years, but with his recent injury troubles, it will be interesting to see if they tender him a contract for the 2023 season.

Other injury updates from around the league…

  • Rays’ former top prospect Luis Patiño was scratched from his Triple-A start due to “right shoulder discomfort,” as reported by Topkin. Patiño has had a rough 2022 season, with the starter posting a 8.10 ERA in 20 innings, giving up 6 home runs and walking 13 batters. In Triple-A Patiño has fared better, pitching to a 4.38 ERA in 37 innings, which is more in line with the 4.31 ERA in 77 1/3 innings that he posted last season in the majors. Regardless, Patiño’s injury comes at a crucial time with the Rays looking to hold onto a wildcard spot, and any further impediments may bring his season to an early close.
  • Detroit Tigers’ rookie Beau Brieske, who has been on the injured list since August 10th with right forearm soreness, will look to the 2023 season. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has announced that the starter will not pitch again this year, reported by Evan Woodbery of Michigan Live, with the club not wanting to “ramp him back up for just one start” after his first major league season. Brieske’s rookie season was largely productive, with the newcomer starting 15 games, tied for second-most among Tigers pitchers, and pitching to a 4.19 ERA in 81 2/3 innings.
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