GLENDALE, Ariz. — Tim Anderson was still without a team as of Wednesday, but five weeks remain until Opening Day, and he reportedly has an offer from the Marlins to be their shortstop. So there is time to catch on.
The White Sox declined their $14 million option on Anderson after the worst season of his career. And as they cut payroll and cut ties with Anderson, they look to Paul DeJong at shortstop and Nicky Lopez at second base to stabilize the middle of the infield, and perhaps for DeJong to keep a place warm for top prospect Colson Montgomery, who could make his debut this season.
Anderson, 30, never got untracked last season after his good start (.298, five doubles in 11 games) was derailed by a knee injury, and he finished with a .245/.286/.296 batting line and one home run in 524 plate appearances. Anderson’s fielding metrics didn’t line up with first-year general manager Chris Getz’s designs on being tighter defensively, so the decision to decline the option did not surprise.
Enter the suburban Chicago tandem of DeJong (Antioch) and Lopez (Naperville Central), who will be paid less than half combined what Anderson would have made.
“I like the sure-handedness [of DeJong and Lopez],” said Sox third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez, who works with infielders. “It isn’t flashy. It’s very blue collar. Catch the ball, secure the baseball, make an accurate throw. That’s all you can ask of an infielder.
“The balls in the five or six hole, the ball behind the bag up the middle, those are bonus plays. The routine play has to be made. I firmly believe in my heart that those guys can do that because of the simplicity of how they go about it.”
“And [they’re] smart,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Both of those guys are really students of the game. They ask the right questions. This is what I’m getting from Eddie. I don’t spend all my time with them, but Eddie tells me those guys are hungry, they’re eager to learn, they ask good questions. And they’re defensive-minded players that can do some things offensively. They know what they’re here to do.”
Anderson, meanwhile, might be close to catching on elsewhere after a very quiet winter on the free-agent market. He was known to have interest in catching on with the Angels, but the Marlins need a shortstop and might be a landing spot.
“I talk to him every day; he’s doing pretty good,” said Sox right-hander Touki Toussaint, who became a close friend of Anderson’s during his first season with the Sox in 2023. “We’ll see what happens. He’s going to bounce back, too.”
Anderson has said he’s willing to move around the infield, if needed, and he showed he could play second base in the World Baseball Classic a year ago.
“I think he would do very well there,” Rodriguez said. “You look at the position, and things are very similar [to shortstop]. But the comfort level would be a lot greater on that side for him. There are players who are that way. His athleticism . . . I think Timmy could do it.”
Rodriguez and former infielders coach Joe McEwing before him never faulted Anderson’s work ethic.
“I wish him the best,” Rodriguez said. “We had a good relationship. He worked hard. I asked him to do things; he did those things. I really think he’ll wind up somewhere and do well.”
