Former Batting Title Winner DFA'd By Angels After Three Struggle-Filled Seasons

Ryan Phillips | May 28, 2025

Tim Anderson was hitting .205 with no home runs and three RBIs when he was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels. / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels have designated Tim Anderson for assignment. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez was the first to report the news.

The former All-Star shortstop had been terrible this season, slashing .205/.258/.241, with no home runs and three RBIs in 31 games.

Anderson won the American League batting title in 2019 while playing for the Chicago White Sox when he hit .335. He looked like a future franchise cornerstone and won a Silver Slugger in 2020, before being named an All-Star in 2021 and 2022. That's when the bottom dropped out.

In 2022, Anderson only played in 79 games after a torn ligament in his hand ended his season in August. He was never the same, returning the next season, playing 123 while slashing .245/.286/.296 and finishing with a WAR of -2.0. The White Sox declined the option in his contract for 2024 and made him a free agent.

The Miami Marlins signed Anderson to a one-year deal for the 2024 season, but his struggles continued. He slashed .214/.237/.463 in 65 games and was released on July 5. The Angels signed him to a minor league contract in January, but he failed to recapture the magic from earlier in his career.

At 31, Anderson is now a free agent and has generated -3.5 WAR in the past three seasons. His story is one of the more spectacular falls from grace in recent MLB history.

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