Tim Anderson Non-Commital On White Sox Future
Tim Anderson has been a cornerstone of the White Sox lineup for the last several seasons. But his time in Chicago may soon be coming to an end.
During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast Anderson was non-committal when asked about his future with the team.
“I understand the business,” Anderson said. If they want to keep me, then cool. And if they don’t then cool either way.
“My time is coming. I’m going to be patient and just continue to keep working. Whatever is for me is going to come to me anyway.”
This came after he admitted that he wasn’t very close with any of his teammates and preferred to be alone outside the clubhouse or on the road earlier in the podcast. However, he did say that he felt a connection to the South Side and appreciated how the community has embraced him.
Anderson is in the midst of one of the toughest seasons of his career. His batting average is the lowest it’s been since 2018, he has no home runs and a -0.3 WAR. All of this comes while news of his extramarital affair came to light across social media.
Having the issues of his personal life broadcasted for the public to see has made things difficult for the White Sox shortstop. Despite the down year there is no denying his value to the White Sox.
Anderson has a $14 million club option for 2024, which the White Sox are almost certain to pick up. Despite having a down year, Anderson has put together four consecutive seasons hitting .300 or higher. That stretch includes a batting title and Silver Slugger Award in 2019 and All-Star selections in 2021 and 2022. He is going to fetch a good price in free agency, given the current shortstop market, even if his defense has room for improvement.
An argument could be made that Anderson increased his value during the World Baseball Classic. With Trea Turner on the roster, he volunteered to play second base, despite having no previous experience on the right side of the infield. Not only did Anderson play a respectable second base he also drew the attention of Mike Trout, who called him “a star”.
Despite his preference to remain at shortstop, Anderson said he would be open to playing second base in the future IF he was paid like a shortstop.
“I got my check for where I’ve been at right now, and I’ve been at short,” Anderson told The Pivot Podcast. “We can talk after you pay me as a shortstop or handle me as a shortstop. Then maybe we can talk after if that’s the fact of second base being an option. But for the most part, I’m a shortstop.”
While Anderson is in line for a good payday, he is going to need to improve his numbers in the second half if he wants to get a contract on the same level as the top-tier shortstops in baseball. He will likely be seeking a deal north of $100 million and the White Sox have yet to dish out a contract of that amount in their franchise’s history.
If he is in the White Sox long-term plans, it may not be a bad idea to offer him an extension now while his value is lower. However, seeing that his .259 batting average is similar to his second-half numbers last season, the White Sox front office may not be willing to open up their pocketbooks if Anderson doesn’t sign an extension offer.