Evaluating A's free agents in 2018 MLB offseason: Brett Anderson

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Brett Anderson is coming off an up-and-down season that saw him finish 4-5 with a 4.48 ERA and 1..28 WHIP. The 30-year-old southpaw also made two trips to the disabled list with shoulder and forearm injuries.

Anderson found his form in the month of August, compiling a 2.15 ERA in five starts, but the rest of the season was mostly a struggle. Overall, 2018 represented an improvement from his 6.34 ERA in 2017, but this was clearly not the same Anderson from his first stint in Oakland.

Anderson signed a minor league contract with the A's in March and earned $1.5 million when he made the 40-man roster and pitched in the big leagues.

Why the A's should re-sign him

When healthy, Anderson could be a decent number five starter in the A's rotation. He is comfortable in Oakland and could provide depth for the A's in the case of injuries to other starting pitchers. He also doesn't figure to draw much interest around the league and should therefore be affordable once again.

Why the A's should let him go

Anderson has struggled the last few seasons. Between injuries and ineffectiveness, he struggled to find a rhythm in 2018. Oakland has better starting pitching options, even though some of them are currently injured. Another $1.5 million contract might be too much to spend on a fringe starting pitcher with a history of injuries.

Verdict

The A's will most likely move on from Anderson. Even though they could probably sign him for a reasonable price, the A's would prefer to turn to younger starters like Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas,  Jesús Luzardo, and when healthy, A.J. Puk and Jharel Cotton. Anderson's inconsistency the last few seasons makes him hard to rely on as more than a long reliever or depth starter.

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