Chase Anderson
Looking to add pitching depth to their rotation in 2021, the Phillies took a chance on right-handed veteran pitcher Chase Anderson when they signed him to a one-year deal prior to the start of spring training that year. To Phillies fans, it came as sort of surprise, given that he was coming off his worst-ever season in the majors in 2020 when he recorded a dismal 7.22 ERA and 1.63 WHIP, while giving up 27 earned runs, including 11 home runs in 33 2/3 innings pitched over 10 appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Well, the Phillies should have taken those warning signs into consideration, as he would go on to have an underwhelming 2021 campaign with the club as well. In 14 games that included nine starts, Anderson registered a 2-4 record with a gaudy 6.75 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, giving up a whopping 36 earned runs in just 48 innings of work. Things got so bad that he was eventually designated for assignment and released from the organization toward the end of the season.
Much has changed for Anderson since then. Last season, he pitched primarily as a reliever for both the Red Sox and Texas Rangers. He compiled a 0-2 record with three saves, a 5.40 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. At age 37, Anderson could be in tough to land with a team on a major league contract. But one thing that he has working for him is the fact that he is still somewhat capable as both a starter and reliever. So any team looking for that versatility could give him another shot as a result.
Kyle Gibson
Kyle Gibson was in the midst of his best-ever MLB season in 2021 with the Rangers when the Phillies came calling for his number to upgrade their rotation. At the time, Gibson accumulated a strong 6-3 record, 2.87 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, with 94 strikeouts in 113 innings over 19 starts with the Rangers before Philadelphia acquired him at the trade deadline.
To the Phillies' luck, Gibson was just a shell of his former self in what turned out to be just a short one-and-a-half-year tenure with the club. In 43 appearances that consisted of 42 starts, he compiled a 14-14 record with a less-than-stellar 5.06 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, with 71 walks and 205 strikeouts in 236 2/3 innings of work. With numbers like that, Gibson was barely cutting it as the Phillies’ back-of-the-rotation starter. They eventually moved on from him following the 2022 MLB season.
In 2024, Gibson put together a respectable year with the St. Louis Cardinals, posting an 8-8 record with a 4.24 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. At age 37, he could be looking for that one final contract to take him into his eventual retirement. For a team that might value his breadth of experience and veteran leadership, Gibson should be able to get one final kick at the can.