CHICAGO (AP) — It was opening day for Tim Anderson — and a bit of closure.
Anderson made his Los Angeles Angels debut when they faced the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. It was his first regular-season game against the White Sox since his departure from his first major league club after the 2023 season.
The 31-year-old Anderson was batting fifth and playing second base for the opener. Yoán Moncada, who played for the White Sox for the previous eight seasons, also was back with the Angels, but he was out of the starting lineup.
“It’s always going to be a huge part of me. This is where it all started,” Anderson said. “That chapter is just all love. There’s a lot of love for me. I enjoyed my time here for sure.”
Anderson made his big league debut with Chicago in 2016. The two-time All-Star quickly became one of baseball’s bright young stars.
He hit a major league-best .335 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs in 2019. With the Alabama native sparking the lineup from the leadoff slot, Chicago made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. But the team was never able to deliver on its potential.
Hampered by a sprained left knee and right shoulder soreness, Anderson hit .245 with one homer and 25 RBIs in 123 games with the White Sox in 2023. He also was suspended by Major League Baseball after he got into a fight with Cleveland slugger José Ramírez.
After Chicago finished with a 61-101 record in his final year with the team, Anderson had a $14 million option that was declined by the organization.
“The way it ended, it was bad. Who wanted to leave home?” Anderson said. “But how will we know what’s out there if we never leave home? So just going out and trying to find better opportunities and continue to chase greatness. I think I’m in the right spot. Right where my feet are for sure.”
Anderson agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract with Miami in February 2024, but he hit just .214 in 65 games with the Marlins before he was released.
He sat out for the rest of the 2024 season, then agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in January. He said the time off was good for him.
“I was able to spend some time with my family and get things back on track to where I needed to be,” Anderson said. “Right now I’m in a great head space. I’m aware what’s going on. I know who’s for me, I know who’s against me. Just being aware. Just very thankful to be able to do my work and get to where I need to be.”
Once associated with bat-flipping and playing baseball with a certain swagger, Anderson said he’s a different guy than he was with the White Sox.
“I’m a little bit more mature. The slogan was let the kids play. I’m kind of mature like that now,” he said. “So I just want to play and enjoy the game and just stay out of the way, stay out of the way as much as I can.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Jay Cohen, The Associated Press
