Miami Marlins Designate Former All-Star Shortstop Tim Anderson For Assignment

Tim Anderson's rapid downfall continued Tuesday, as the Miami Marlins removed the former Chicago White Sox shortstop from their 40-man roster.

Jun 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Marlins infielder Tim Anderson (7) fields a ground ball against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins have designated shortstop Tim Anderson for assignment, The Miami Herald's Craig Mish reported Tuesday morning.

The Marlins have yet to officially announce the transaction, or any corresponding moves. MLB.com's Christina De Nicola, meanwhile, is reporting that infielder Xavier Edwards has been recalled to take Anderson's place on the roster.

Anderson, once one of baseball's most prominent rising stars, was batting .214 with a .463 OPS and a -1.2 WAR in 2024. He appeared in 65 of the Marlins' first 84 games this season, missing scattered games with back and thumb injuries, as well as an illness and a stint on the bereavement list.

Back in 2016, Anderson finished sixth in AL Rookie of the Year voting with the Chicago White Sox. He won the AL batting title in 2019, then won a Silver Slugger and placed seventh in the AL MVP race in 2020, before making the All-Star Game in both 2021 and 2022.

However, injuries cost the star shortstop the second half of the 2022 campaign, and his production fell off a cliff in 2023.

Anderson hit .318 with an .820 OPS between 2019 and 2022, averaging 22 home runs, 71 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a 5.5 WAR per 162 games in that time. In 2023, he hit .245 with one home run, 25 home runs, 13 stolen bases, a .582 OPS and a -2.0 WAR in 123 appearances.

That, plus Anderson's deteriorating reputation in the clubhouse, led to the White Sox letting him walk in the fall. It took the 30-year-old veteran four months to land a deal, eventually signing a one-year, $5 million contract with the Marlins.

Even that proved to be too steep of a price for Anderson, apparently.

Anderson ranks in the 1st percentile in batting run value, per Baseball Savant, as well as the 38th percentile in baserunning value and the 40th percentile in fielding run value. He also owns the seventh-worst WAR in all of baseball.

Depending on if the Marlins can trade Anderson, or have to waive or release him, they could be on the hook for the majority of his $5 million salary despite bumping him off their 40-man roster. Anderson was the Marlins' only major league free agent addition of this past offseason.

After taking Monday off, the Marlins are set to open up a series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.