Drew

Anderson

The deal is now official. Anderson returns stateside after spending the past two seasons overseas in Korea where he pitched to a sparkling 2.91 ERA across 287 1/3 innings over 54 starts. The journeyman righty, who turns 32 years old in late March, figures to open next year in Detroit’s rotation mix as a back-end stabilizer. He’s a name to watch in spring training but will likely go undrafted in most fantasy leagues outside of AL-only formats.

Anderson has spent the last two seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization with the SSG Landers outside of a brief nine appearances with Triple-A Toledo, and prior to that was pitching in Japan. The 31-year-old’s deal is pending a physical, but he could be an option at the back of the rotation or as a multi-inning reliever in 2026.

Anderson signed in Korea back in April, and the 30-year-old will remain overseas for at least the 2025 campaign.

Anderson hasn’t appeared in the majors since the 2021 campaign when he made a career-high nine appearances (one start) for the Rangers. The 30-year-old righty heads back overseas after pitching well this season in nine relief appearances for Triple-A Toledo. He spent the last two years pitching for the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

The move ensures that both Casey Mize and Reese Olson will make Detroit’s season-opening rotation. The decision is a bit surprising since Manning pitched well this spring, posting a 3.38 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 19/7 K/BB ratio across 16 innings (five starts) in the Grapefruit League. It seems to be an indication of the club’s confidence in Mize and Olson, rather than an indictment of Manning, who figures to get another opportunity at some point in the near future.

Anderson pitched in Japan for the last two seasons where he posted a 3.05 ERA and 98/40 K/BB ratio over 115 innings. He will compete for a bullpen job this spring.

Anderson was released by the Rangers last week after posting a respectable 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 9/6 K/BB ratio across 22 innings (nine appearances) over the final two months of the season.

Anderson recorded a serviceable 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 9/6 K/BB ratio across 22 innings (nine appearances, one start) for the Rangers over the final two months of the 2021 campaign. The 27-year-old righty will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training this offseason.

Anderson will be back in the Texas bullpen on Tuesday night against the Astros after missing over three weeks because of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. He’s pitched to a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings this season for the Rangers.

Anderson landed on the COVID-19 injured list a couple of weeks ago after testing positive, but he’s doing better now and ready to return to game action. The 27-year-old should be able to return at some point this month.