Mariners 6-Year Veteran Pitcher Elects Free Agency After Hectic Year

A lot of 2025 Rockies had years like this...

Jun 4, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A Seattle Mariners hat sits on top a mitt during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Rangers won 10-4. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-Imagn Images | Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners had a lot of interesting minor-league cameos this season as they made their run to the first ALCS the franchise had seen in 24 years.

Case in point: right-handed pitcher Nick Anderson, who baseball fans probably remember best as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays' bullpen from 2019 to 2021, was in the Mariners organization for the entire stretch run, though he might not have been eligible to pitch in October.

After coming to Seattle on a minor-league deal when he was let go by the Colorado Rockies in August, Anderson stayed in Triple-A pitching for the Mariners' Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. He fared well there, striking out 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings, and now he'll be looking for new opportunities.

Nick Anderson elects free agency

Jun 21, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Nick Anderson (63) delivers a pitch to the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images

Anderson elected minor-league free agency on Thursday, according to his official roster page, though it took a few extra days for that transaction to show up on the log. Regardless of when he made the decision, it always made sense for Anderson to test the open market after a fairly chaotic year,

The Rockies signed Anderson to bolster their bullpen after the St. Louis Cardinals let him go in June, despite never making a major league appearance. In Colorado, Anderson had a 6.14 ERA for the Rockies in 12 appearances, all in August.

There was a time when Anderson looked like one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, if only for a moment. He had a 0.55 ERA in the regular season in 2020 and was called upon for every possible high-leverage opportunity for the Rays in that year's postseason, excelling at first before giving up some huge runs in the World Series and finishing the playoffs with a 5.52 ERA.

Since he underwent elbow surgery in 2021, Anderson has bounced around to the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, and Rockies at the major league level, making 84 major league appearances in the last three years.

The Mariners' bullpen is deeper than most heading into the offseason, so it would be something of a surprise to see them retain Anderson, who turns 36 next July.

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