With the Philadelphia Phillies looking for upgrades to their lineup as they prepare for the stretch run, an intriguing option from within their own division has suddenly emerged. The Miami Marlins recently designated two-time All-Star Tim Anderson for assignment, according to MLB.com's Christina De Nicola.
Should the Phillies take a flier on the nine-year veteran?
After all, Anderson is a former AL batting champion and Silver Slugger winner, with the ability to do it all by averaging close to 90 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 20 homers and 60 RBI a season when at his best. With a career .278 batting average and .718 OPS, could he be the much-needed offensive boost that the Phillies need off the bench?
Phillies need to steer well clear of former star DFA'd by Marlins
However, the main concern is that Anderson hasn’t been putting up his All-Star numbers for more than two years and counting. Especially in the current season with the Marlins as an everyday player, he has hit a career-low .214 with a dismal .463 OPS, just 16 runs scored, three doubles, no home runs and nine RBI in 65 games. To put things in perspective, over a full season, we are talking about just 40 runs scored, seven doubles and 22 RBI of total production. Not good.
To further prove how bad 2024 has been for Anderson, take a look at his advanced metrics on Baseball Savant. His batting metrics are a sea of blue, with no category even above the 21st percentile in the league. His arm strength and sprint speed may still be acceptable, but his lack of hitting will certainly make it hard to keep him in any lineup.
Hearing the name Tim Anderson might be enticing for fans who remember how good he was just a few years ago. But there's no chance the Phillies contemplate grabbing him off waivers with how much his play has regressed in the past couple of years.
When you also consider the fact that Edmundo Sosa did a fine job backing up Trea Turner at short when the latter was sidelined due to an injury, the Phillies appear to already have a more than viable backup infielder option on their roster. If that isn't enough to convince you, Anderson has been performing even worse than the Phillies' struggling free agent signing Whit Merrifield, aside from hitting for a slightly higher average.
As a result, the Phillies should steer clear of Anderson and avoid him at all costs.