The Braves and Angels announced this afternoon that Atlanta has claimed right-hander Ian Anderson off waivers from Los Angeles after he was designated for assignment by the latter club earlier in the week. This morning’s DFA of Jesse Chavez cleared a 40-man roster spot, so no corresponding move was necessary to complete the transaction.
Anderson, 27 next week, returns to Atlanta after spending just a month away from the organization. Drafted by the Braves third overall in the 2016 draft, Anderson made his MLB debut during the shortened 2020 season and made a huge impression over his first two seasons. in 30 starts between those two years, Anderson tallied 160 2/3 innings of work, pitched to a 3.25 ERA with a 3.80 FIP, and struck out 24.5% of opponents. He was also a key factor in both the club’s trip to the NLCS in 2020 and their World Series championship run the following year, giving him a tidy 1.26 ERA and 27.6% strikeout rate for his career in the postseason.
While the righty entered his age-24 season as a front-end starter for Atlanta and a beloved postseason hero, Anderson’s 2022 campaign did not go as planned. He struggled badly through 22 starts, posting a lackluster 5.00 ERA despite a decent 4.25 FIP in 111 2/3 frames. The righty was sidelined in August of that year and then went under the knife for Tommy John surgery in early 2023 before making an appearance. He missed all of that year while rehabbing, and made 15 starts at the minor league level last year, though he didn’t come back up to the majors despite his solid 3.44 ERA in 68 innings of work.
With Anderson out of options entering 2025, Max Fried and Charlie Morton having departed the club via free agency, and Spencer Strider ticketed to begin the season on the injured list, many penciled Anderson in for a starting job with Atlanta entering this season. Unfortunately for the righty, he looked wild in camp with a 24% walk rate and was designated for assignment ahead of Opening Day. He was then swapped to the Angels in exchange for Jose Suarez and headed to Anaheim for his first big league appearance in two and a half years. His brief stay in California did not go well, as Anderson struggled to a 11.57 ERA across seven appearances before being DFA’d again. Now back in Atlanta, he appears ticketed for a bullpen role once he rejoins the club in Colorado tomorrow. Righty Davis Daniel replaced Jesse Chavez in the bullpen as the primary long relief option earlier this morning, though it seems as though his stay with the Braves may be short now that Anderson is back in the fold.