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.
Fix the bullpen, just don’t resign Jansen please!
Jansen is fine, for the right price. Not another stupid high cost contract at his current performance and decline
Jansen is not fine lol…. At least not for the price and role he will command. The reality is Jansen just isn’t closer material any more. Too many people can steal on him now. He used to do a better job of keeping players off base when in his prime so it was mitigated back then but now it just doesn’t work. He needs to be demoted to 7th inning work, maybe 8th inning at best. He’s not a closer though.
I also want to add Iglesias should have been closing games heading into the playoffs this year.
It ended up not mattering, but Iglesias is the better pitcher even if Jansen did semi fix himself for the last 2 weeks.
So hence why I said “for the right price”… and his #’s over the entire year were fine. I’d gladly have him in the pen, but prefer not really high leverage situations. The closer position is sort arbitrary. I believe your best pitcher should pitch when you need him, rather it’s in the 9th inning or 6th, RI should pitch when he’s needed and KJ should not be in those high leverage situations
It’s not arbitrary. Half the time it’s the end of the game, no opportunity to come back if you do blow the lead. You just get a loss.
There is a difference. Managers approach the inning different, hitters approach the inning different, and baserunners approach the inning different.
I don’t disagree that it’s good to use your best pitcher when the heart of the opponents lineup is up if it happens to fall in the 7th or 8th, or other circumstances that may prompt the best reliever to be called on in advance. But those innings aren’t the same. It’s not arbitrary I’m sorry to tell you. That’s just flat out incorrect and it’s not even something that’s a thing of opinion. The 9th is different, stop pretending it’s not.
I know that I’m going to show my age but oh well here’s my rant, complaint & history lesson: As RP’s go a TRUE CLOSER isn’t necessarily the guy who gets the last 3 outs of the game. Yeah, that guy gets CREDIT for the SAVE but did he REALLY SAVE the game? A true closer is the guy the mgr can call on (on a regular basis) to finish off the inning when a 5-1 lead vanishes to 5-4 w runners on 1st & 3rd (2nd & 3rd) w 0 or 1 out WITHOUT giving up the lead. They used to be known as FIREMEN for a reason. Let’s look at real situation. Who should get “credit” for the save? Is it the guy who comes in during the sample that I used above who ended up getting out of the inning w the lead intact or is it the guy who pitched the 9th inning w the score being 7-4?
I agree with you. The saves stat is ok, but % of inherited runners scoring (two stats, in scoring position and not), as well as OPS+ of hitters faced are more important. To me, the latter is also huge as those are the guys facing the meat of the other team’s order, which is becoming extremely important again now that the rules have curtailed this ‘pitch to one-batter’ annoyance.
@prospect. I’ve been following MLB for close to 35 years now and it seems they calculate who gets credit for wins now pitcher wise. Manfred has made so many changes (most which I despise) that anymore I cannot keep up with rule changes and all the fancy newer sabermetrics.
what a steal
Low risk high reward potential. I really like this signing.
Good deal. Hope he returns to form after his injury.
I thought Nick Anderson was a Guard for the Orlando Magic at one time
Yes, I met him in 1995 at Sound Advice in Orlando.
Chokes under pressure in late game situations aka free throws.
At least Chip Carey will be familiar with calling his name.
AA filling BP holes!
Poor guy was one of the top relievers in the game, unfortunately he’s done. People thinking this is a steal just don’t know enough about the situation. The Rays of all people aren’t releasing a top reliever in baseball who’s making no money unless they’re absolutely sure he’s washed up
It’s a steal. There’s literally no risk.
Worth $875K to be curious and find out.
Could be worth only 180k if he can’t get right but either way, it’s a great deal for Atl
This is only slightly above a minor league deal. They’re using a roster spot and barely paying him above the minimum; it’s basically a free gamble.
Ah ha! There you go MLBTR writers! The Braves ARE players in free agency.
Yeah curious as to why the Rays let him go.
He was a 99 mph pitcher. He’s probably at 94 mph now; with an elbow ligament braced instead of replaced.
His numbers is the minors during and after his LONG rehab stint were not very pretty.
Announce Joc
Great pickup at next to no cost
Another Mets blunder. The team has Sean-Ried Foley, Joey Luchessi, Stephen Nogosek, Drew Smith. I mean, where do they find such terrible pitchers. Their farm system for calling up relievers has probably been deadlast in the MLB for the past 20 years. They had a chance to go out and sign a quality MLB reliever for pennys on the dollar and they let their biggest competition get him. I hope they go after Matt Wisler, he would be an amazing low cost option. In the past 10 years, the only decent relievers they have brought up and did well are Bobby Parnell (who then got hurt after like a year or 2 and was never the same), Familia, and Seth Lugo (who hasnt been the same since his tear that he suffered. Guys like Paul Sewald and Collin McHugh went to other teams and did well
Curtiss is the Mets low risk guy. They grabbed him last year just to exercise the $775k option for this year. Mets need back end legit guys with a track record right now. This is nothing to get frustrated about. Without a solid set up guy like Robertson and a serious lefty like Chafin, low cost fliers won’t matter.
However, nice low cost move for the Braves.
What results have John Curtiss produced at the major league level? Not much. I’d rather have a guy with previous success over a reclamation project. I’d take Boxberger, Wisler, Brad Hand, all guys who probably wont get much but still have results
Curtiss was very good for the Rays also. The difference is: he’s had TJS, where NAnderson tried to avoid it with a bracing procedure..
I like both moves. Anderson is a much bigger and harder comeback story.
Wisler still has NL East PTSD from his debut with Atlanta. He was actually the top piece Atlanta got in the BJ Upton / Kimbrel salary dump. Atlanta also took on Carlos Quienton and his $20m and got a competitive balance pick that they turned into Austin Riley.
Good signing. Rays may rue this decision, sooner rather than later.
Unless, of course, they don’t!
It’s the Rays they probably won’t honestly.
they fleeced the pirates one time. other than that their trades are pretty hit or miss like any other team and a number of players have had more success after leaving the rays. Christian arroyo the big return for Longoria as an example
The upside is worth the risk. If he’s washed up, fill a AAA spot and pay less 200K, if he comes anywhere close to what he once was, it will be a steal with some control. RPs are always in demand even if the team isn’t competitive, so not really sure why all teams weren’t in on him at that amount.
Yeah I like the move.
This is the type of move Chaim Bloom should be making in Boston. Instead, he’s going to end up signing someone with less upside for 5X the amount of Anderson’s deal….sigh.
Holy crap, I said he’d be a good reliever in the long shot he was healthy (he’s a strikeout god) never expected the braves to sign him though. I like it for less than a million dollars.
The good news is that the Rays oftentimes get career years out of their pitchers.
The bad news is that what they encourage them to do to be successful often results in injuries…..many of which are career ending.
I like the Rays. But the players union should be gathering statistics on how the Rays pitchers injuries compare to other teams.
And it’s not just the Rays…..
Jacob deGrom’s career took off about 4 years ago. The man was unhittable. Threw breaking pitches at unbelievable speeds. The last 3 years he’s pitched a bit under 230 innings total. And his last number of starts for the Mets in 2022 were pretty bad.. He may get his $40m a year in FA in the next few months. But the decision to give out that contract will be by a teams owner. Any FO person that pushes it and then sees yet another injury occur will be looking for another way to make a living.
Signing deGrom and him getting injured won’t get you canned. Winning a World Series will, if you’re the Astros.
RunDMC;
That’s a really dumb as well as inaccurate comment.
Hahaha Samuel is at it again! The Feelings Sherriff! You’re ridiculous! Cant say anything about his BFF ‘Mr Crane’ or Astro Cans!
No Run, your comment was witty and spot on. Samuel is the Feelings Sheriff of all things Astros and him getting butt hurt.
Nick Anderson barely threw 40 innings for TB.
I don’t know that they broke him.
Did he throw that way when he was with other teams?
And Nick Anderson is hardly the only pitcher.
I’m not disagreeing with your general premise. I’d have to look into TBR’s pitching injuries to see how significant. You’d also have to delve into their specific pitching philosophy. Like you said—it’d have to be a study. MLBPA has the resources.
BUT a guy who threw so few innings is probably not one of the ones. Most severe arm injuries are due to long periods of stress.
I don’t think the teams really have as much to do with this as the players and the current state of the game.
Just like homers became overstated in lieu of solid all around hitters, flame-throwers with high spin rates have come to dominate bullpens. Players are pushed to throw harder than ever and torque their arms more, but I think it has more to do with them wanting to stay relevant and getting paid. Soft-tossing relievers just aren’t cashing in. I think players themselves are causing the arm injuries as much as the teams.
I like how the Cards are looking for strikeouts in the bullpen but dont make this cheap move. Ugh.
He will lead the NL in saves next season. Watch and see. This will be one the best FA signings this off season. You heard it here first
An absolutely electric arm when he’s healthy
hopefully hes not Kirby Yates all over again..
They weren’t counting on anything from Yates in ’22.
I’ve always been a fan of Anderson, hope he can stay healthy and bounce back !
This is an obvious low risk move every team should have taken.
The Braves have very little high-end talent in the minors. This is a way to fill some high-level gaps. The Braves need to do more of this.
Kudos to the Braves for Jumping onto this signing. That happened fast.