Drew Anderson’s Dominant Relief Outing Sparks Optimism for Detroit Tigers
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The Detroit Tigers' offseason was very quiet until they made their push to add both Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander before spring training got underway. But one of their earliest signings saw them take a chance on right-handed pitcher Drew Anderson.
Anderson had been in Major League Baseball before, but after the 2021 campaign with the Texas Rangers, the Tigers reliever took his efforts to Japan and Korea.
Detroit's front office liked what they saw enough to bring him back to the major leagues, and after game two against the Miami Marlins, there are more than enough reasons why he should succeed in his second stint.
Anderson's Dominant Relief Outing vs Miami, a Breakdown
To begin the season, Tigers fans didn't get the best first impression of Anderson in 2026. However, after Casey Mize's strong third outing of the season against the Marlins on Saturday, April 11, Anderson came in and gave manager A.J. Hinch no reason to take him out.
Anderson pitched in 3.1 innings for the Tigers and helped seal the deal to their eventual 6-1 victory. He threw 61 pitches, 37 of which were strikes, walked two, struck out two, and lowered his ERA to 4.66 for the season, having entered the game with a 7.11.
Collecting the final out of the game against Jakob Marsee after a 14-pitch battle secured Anderson's first career MLB save.
It also marked the first time this season that Anderson didn't allow a run or a hit. He may still need to work on his command and finding a put-away pitch, but all in all, he did his job tremendously for the Tigers, allowing the rest of the bullpen to be fresh for the series finale.
When originally signed, many fans believed that Anderson would become the fifth starter in the rotation before the additions of Valdez and Verlander, but given what he was able to do out of the bullpen, his role is best kept there.
Knowing Hinch, there is still a little bit of that "pitching chaos" mentality that he brought to Major League Baseball in 2024, which got the Tigers to the postseason for the first time in a decade. Anderson fits the mold perfectly for a pitching chaos moment down the line this season.
As the season continues, Anderson looks to keep lowering that ERA if he wants to earn that team option placed on his contract for the 2027 season.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.