Positive Update: Texas Rangers Agree to Sign Young Talent to a Minor League Contract with…
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Chase Anderson has signed a minor league contract with the Rangers. The Red Sox released him earlier this month.
In the 2023–24 offseason, Anderson, 36, inked a minor league contract with the Pirates. After being cut loose just before Opening Day, he quickly inked a $1.25MM guaranteed major league contract with the Red Sox. The seasoned right-hander, who spent his whole career mostly as a starter, entered Boston’s bullpen as a multi-inning reliever. He pitched 52 innings over 27 games with a 4.85 ERA and 4.92 SIERA. His strikeout percentage of 15.6% was the lowest of his career, and his velocity on any of his pitches did not significantly increase despite moving to a full-time bullpen job. In the end, Anderson provided the Red Sox with little more than a reliable mop-up arm. They had no space for him on the roster after adding to their bullpen during the trade deadline.
Anderson has played for eight different teams in his eleven MLB seasons: the Diamondbacks, Brewers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Reds, Rays, Rockies, and Red Sox. He also played for a while in the Pirates, Rangers, and Tigers organizations, albeit not as a pitcher for their major level teams. The Rangers will be the seventh team he has played for in his major league career if his second stint with Texas is more successful than his first.
There is never too much pitching for the Rangers, and they could really use some seasoned depth in the bullpen. Texas’s system lacks healthy relievers with extensive big league experience and any degree of recent major league success, aside from those on the active squad. The Rangers will only be responsible for paying Anderson a prorated share of the minimum wage for the duration that he is on the roster, should they decide to sign his contract. The remaining portion of his 2024 guaranteed salary is still owed to the Red Sox.
