Former All-Star Can't Wait to Resurrect Career With Angels, Ron Washington

Tim Anderson was once considered one of Major League Baseball's best shortstop.

He quarterbacked a Chicago White Sox infield that earned him All-Star recognition for not only his glove, but his powerful bat as well.

That all took a nosedive in 2023.

Anderson posted a .318/.347/.473 slash line with 51 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 374 games with the White Sox from 2019 to 2022. However, his 2023 season saw a significant decline, hitting just one home run in 123 games with Chicago.

A leg injury contributed to his poor 2023.

Tim Anderson, once a back-to-back All-Star, has a combined 50 wRC+ over the last two seasons https://t.co/tppo19h1Ey
— Taylor Blake Ward (@TaylorBlakeWard) January 22, 2025

“I started creating bad habits with my swing,” Anderson said, via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. “I had that injury to the leg, so once I came back, I lost the feel, I lost the touch, I lost a lot. Everything felt different. So, it caused me to start doing the wrong things and start creating that bad habit.

"I got caught up in that bad habit and that became a norm. That’s what caused the frustration. So, once I got released, I got in the lab and I’ve been training to break that bad habit.”

After signing a one-year deal with Miami ahead of the 2024 season, Anderson was designated for assignment in early July, He's ready to put that chapter behind him and resurrect his career with the Los Angeles Angels and manager Ron Washington.

Tim Anderson says that he lost the feel for hitting after a hand injury, but seems ready to rake again in 2025 💥 pic.twitter.com/tw5RpX0N7H
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 29, 2025

“It’s set up for a beautiful story,” Anderson said. “It’s set up for a great story. It’s just overcoming a lot of things. It’s not like I haven’t overcome a lot of things in my career. This is just another challenge that could be positive, that could be a great hurdle, that could be a turning point in my career. I’m excited about it.”

Anderson mentioned that he’s reached out to Washington in recent offseasons for advice on defense and is eager to collaborate with him this spring. He also played alongside infield coach Ryan Goins with the White Sox from 2019 to 2020 and worked with offensive coordinator Tim Laker during his time in the White Sox minor league system.

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“To be able to finally come full circle, very thankful, very grateful,” Anderson said. “I understand what I’m up against. I understand what’s going on. But I’m just thankful for the opportunity, and my goal is to go out and make them excited about it as well.”

“[Washington] knows his stuff, so I’m excited to really learn from him,” Anderson added. “I’m definitely open. I’m open. I don’t have no say-so in anything. … I can’t feel no way about anything. I don’t have any leverage. I got nothing. I’m stripped down, which is OK. I like being in that point, because it got me back in the hunger and the swing of things of really trying to enjoy the game a lot more than I did before.”

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