Tim Anderson wants back in.
The former two-time All-Star shortstop is looking for a role, redemption, and his place back in the game he once dominated.
Return Of TA7: Tim Anderson Gets Call To Spring Training With LA Angels
Anderson signed a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Angels for 2025, receiving an invite to Spring Training. After being designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins last July, Anderson used his time away to rediscover his love for the game and refine his approach at the plate.
“I lost a lot of feel for hitting, for even having an idea on how to hit, so I had to relearn all those things and get my body back healthy,” he told MLBbro.com.
Anderson now believes he has a deeper understanding of his approach at the plate, as he feels that a lot of his past success was built on more of his raw talent and straightforward routine. He’s hitting 231 this spring with six hits in 26 at-bats, but the more positive sign is that he’s already hit a home run after failing to launch one out of the park all of 2024.
“All the success that I had in the beginning was just off of God-given. My biggest key was staying on the inside of the baseball, that’s very simple,” Anderson said. “Nowadays, you can’t do that. You’ve got to learn your technique; you’ve got to learn how to get your moves off, and that’s something that I toned in. So just imagine, I understand what I’m doing now versus what I was just playing with on the last success, so I’ve got a chance to really do something special…”
Tim Anderson Is Former All-Star & Batting Champion
From 2019 to 2022, Anderson was a key figure at the top of the Chicago White Sox lineup, hitting .318 with an .820 OPS over those four seasons. He won the AL Batting Crown and hit .335 in 2019, while also winning a Silver Slugger award in 2020 and earned two All-Star nods in 2021 and 2022.
However, injuries derailed his hitting prowess—a torn ligament in his finger in 2022 and an MCL sprain in 2023 led to declining performance. Anderson finished the 2023 season with a .582 OPS, and his struggles continued in Miami in 2024, where he hit career lows in average (.214) and OPS (.463).
Some off the field issues, didn’t help his focus. The Marlins cut ties with Anderson just before Independence Day, when he was planning to let his three children watch the fireworks after a game. He vows to make sure his kids have that opportunity going forward and says that his experience last season has allowed him to put a positive outlook on things.
“It was actually great for me, because I got a chance for me to really, you know, soak up real life and understand that there’s…a real world going on out there — you get so consumed in the baseball world and you forget that there’s real things going on,” Anderson said. “So I got a real chance to really tone in on taking my kids to school, you know, being in their lives and just being there, you know…It gave me a chance to, you know, get my head right and work. Since I got released, I went right into the lab…I was working for this opportunity…”
Now in Angels camp, Anderson is expanding his versatility, taking reps at shortstop, second base, and even center field. While he has never played the outfield professionally, he believes he has the tools and is eager to learn the intricacies of playing center. “The arm’s there, the athleticism’s there, it’s just a matter of, you know, learning how to play those balls,” he said.
Ron Washington Looking To Maximize Tim Anderson’s Vast Skillset
Angels manager Ron Washington says they aren’t looking to convert Anderson into an outfielder but want to maximize his skill set.
“We’re just trying to find other spots where we might be able to utilize his ability,” Washington told MLBbro.com. “He’s in a good place mentally, working hard physically, and applying the things we’re trying to get him to do.”
Anderson’s passion for the game is reignited. He remembers the player he was — an All-Star, a batting champion, and the man behind one of the most iconic walk-off home runs in recent memory at the 2021 Field of Dreams game. He was an impactful player in different ways several years ago and is confident in his ability to be that guy again.
“You talking about a guy that’s in lead, in charge of the culture, you know, that stuck it to the culture for the culture to stick….in the most humblest way, you know what I mean,” he said.”
Now, with a fresh mindset and a new opportunity, he is all in and ready to prove himself again with a conviction that it’s already written.
“The mission that I’m on, the dream that I’m on, it’s huge…it’s big. You know, it’s gonna happen…” he said. “I’ve just got to continue to stay the course, don’t take anything for granted and cherish every moment and if I’ll take advantage of every opportunity, I’ll get to where I need to be.”
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