The Chicago White Sox declined the $14 million club option on Tim Anderson for the 2024 season, a release from the team said Saturday. The Sox will pay a $1 million buyout to part ways with the shortstop.
A post on X, formerly Twitter, thanked Anderson following the news:
The Cubs then released a video montage honoring the 30-year-old, which traced his eight years in Chicago starting with the team’s 17th-round selection of him in the 2013 MLB Draft.
Anderson was selected as an American League All-Star in 2021 and made a return trip to the Summer Classic in 2022 as a starter. During his time with the White Sox, he won the 2019 AL hitting title and the 2020 AL Silver Slugger Award.
But he had trouble this season. With a.245 batting average, Anderson hit just one long run in 123 games. Along with 52 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, and 25 RBI, he recorded. Among MLB shortstops, he had the lowest OPS (.582) and the lowest slugging percentage (.296) among batters in the American League.
Losing a vicious fight with José Ramirez was probably the worst part of the challenging season. After reaching a settlement, Anderson’s six-game MLB penalty was subsequently lowered to five games.
The White Sox, who were dissatisfied going into the offseason, appear to be headed for a rebuild. They were fourth in the American League Central with a 61-101 record. Amid the turbulent campaign, general manager Rick Hahn and vice president Ken Williams were sacked.
Additionally, the White Sox rejected closer Liam Hendriks’ 2024 club option. Rather than receiving a $15 million salary, he will receive an annual payment of $1.5 million as part of a $15 million buyout over the following ten years. In the preceding offseason, Hendriks was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After missing the beginning of the season to receive treatment, the right-hander had Tommy John surgery in August.
Additional MLB moves on Saturday were made in advance of Monday’s official start of free agency. Marcus Stroman, a right-hander for the Chicago Cubs, reportedly chose to opt out of his deal with one year and $21 million left. In the meantime, the $20 million club option of franchise icon Joey Votto was turned down by the Cincinnati Reds.