Kade Anderson strikes out five in debut vs. Cubs

Thankfully, it will be a normal offseason for Anderson. The 22-year-old can probably be penciled into the 2027 rotation after going 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA in his seven-start audition. He wasn’t as dominant as hoped in his 35 2/3 innings, but that might serve to make him a better buy next spring.

The ball from Christian Moore hit him in the bicep area. He seemed to shake it off pretty quickly, but there was no way the Mariners were going to risk letting him continue. Anderson pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Angels before departing.

Anderson allowed just three hits and didn’t walk a batter while throwing 73 percent of his pitches for strikes. He also collected 14 whiffs for a 17 percent swinging strike rate and 30 percent CSW. The four-seam fastball vertical movement wasn’t there again, but this start was in Coors Field, so we’ll give Anderson a bit of grace there. His changeup and curve missed plenty of bats, which led to the vast majority of strikeouts. Anderson will look to end the season on a high note against the Angels next week.

Anderson struck out five and walked none, but the hits he allowed came in bunches in the first and third innings. Anderson is due to make two more starts Sunday against the Rockies and then the next Saturday against the Angels. Still, with the Mariners all but out of the race, we wouldn’t be surprised if at least that last start disappears.

As it turns out, Anderson wasn’t the cure all for Seattle’s issues. He gave up seven hits and managed just three strikeouts tonight against a lineup that had Jonah Heim batting cleanup. Anderson is almost certainly destined for big things as a major leaguer, but it’s going to take time. He’s still probably worth using in mixed leagues at home versus the Rangers next week.

Anderson got off to an excellent start in his second career outing for the Mariners. He stranded four baserunners across four scoreless innings before getting into some trouble in the fifth. He gave up a base hit and walked a batter with one out in the inning, ending his day at 85 pitches as the team looks to limit his pitch count. Both inherited runners would come in to score. He struck out three. The 22-year-old left-hander has given up five runs with an 8/5 K/BB ratio over 10 innings across his first two starts. Anderson is in line for his third start on Thursday, taking on the Athletics in Seattle.

It’s time. Anderson’s meteoric rise concludes with his major-league debut against the Cubs on Saturday following an unprecedented 18-start run at Double-A Arkansas where he compiled a microscopic 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 135/13 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings in his professional debut. The 22-year-old southpaw, who was the third-overall selection in last year’s draft, offers enough strikeout upside to be relevant in all fantasy formats over the final five weeks of the season. His signature offering is an upper-80s slider that he can consistently land in the strike zone for strikes, while also burying it below the zone to generate whiffs as a putaway pitch. It’s so early in his long-term development trajectory that fantasy managers should keep realistic expectations in check, but it’s not hyperbolic to assert that Anderson is unquestionably one of the more exciting, front-of-the-rotation caliber pitching prospects to reach the big leagues in recent memory. He’s long gone in most competitive fantasy leagues and should remain rostered until further notice.

And the fantasy managers rejoiced. The 22-year-old southpaw will make his highly anticipated MLB debut on Saturday against the Cubs. Anderson, the third overall selection from the 2025 MLB draft, has compiled a brilliant 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and a 135/13 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings in 18 starts at Double-A Arkansas this season. He should be rostered in all fantasy leagues and is expected to make an immediate impact for the M’s and for fantasy managers over the final six weeks of the season.

Woo completed six innings in the win tonight, but he was only at 75 pitches, and it sounds like he would have continued if not for the shoulder issue getting him lifted as a precaution. Woo said after the game that he wasn’t concerned about it. Still, if he winds up on the IL, that would open up a spot for top prospect Kade Anderson. Anderson, though, should really be in the majors regardless.

The time to stash Anderson was weeks, if not months, ago. Now, his arrival in Seattle appears imminent, especially after the Mariners jettisoned veteran Luis Castillo at the trade deadline earlier this week. The 22-year-old pitching phenom, who was selected third overall in last year’s draft, has authored one of the most dominant professional debuts in recent memory, posting a microscopic 1.13 ERA and 0.65 WHIP with a staggering 128/12 K/BB ratio across 87 2/3 innings. Seattle can promote Anderson later next week while preserving his rookie eligibility for next season. Mariners president Jerry Dipoto told reporters earlier this week that he will work as a traditional starter, and won’t pitch in relief, when he jumps to the big leagues. At this point, all signs point toward Anderson making his major-league debut next week. Simply put, he has nothing left to prove in the minors and represents a must-roster arm in all fantasy leagues.