Tim Anderson will not play in Friday's Cleveland Guardians-Miami Marlins game after being placed on the bereavement list, the team announced. So why is this Marlins-Guardians game notable anyway? Well, it isn't because it's a rematch of the 1997 World Series (although some fans may tune in purely for that reason). Anderson played for the Chicago White Sox in 2023, and MLB fans will certainly remember when Anderson and Guardians star Jose Ramirez had an on-field altercation last year.
Video via ESPN Cleveland.
The game was being hyped up as a showdown between Ramirez and Anderson, but now that will not occur. Hopefully Anderson is doing alright as he was placed on the bereavement list, so it is no joking matter.
Last year's incident led to fans trolling Anderson. Fans were interested to see if there would be any leftover tension from the 2023 incident between the two players. Unless Anderson returns before June 9, though, we will not see a Ramirez-Anderson showdown anytime soon. This three-game weekend series is the last time the two teams will go head-to-head in 2024.
The Marlins are struggling and are rumored to be open to trading players before the deadline in July. There is a chance that Anderson could be traded to a team the Guardians will play at some point in 2024.
Tim Anderson's difficult past few seasons
Anderson spent his entire career with the White Sox before signing with the Marlins in free agency this past offseason. He made two All-Star teams in Chicago and established himself as one of the better shortstops in the league. Anderson was even emerging as one of the most popular players in the game.
In 2023, though, Anderson struggled mightily. He consistently hit over .300 from 2019-2022, even winning the American League batting title during the '19 campaign. In 2023, however, he hit just .245 across 123 games. He also only hit one home run all season long.
The incident with Jose Ramirez only made matters worse. It was a forgettable season to say the least.
Anderson was hoping to turn things around after signing with the Marlins. The two-time All-Star has continued to struggle with Miami, though. He is currently slashing just .188/.221/.206/.427 across 48 games played. Anderson has yet to hit a home run as well.
His decline has been difficult to watch. Anderson went from one of MLB's best players to a .188 hitter on a last place ball club. There is still reason for optimism since Tim Anderson has displayed the ability to excel at the big league level in the past. He is also still only 30 years old, so age should not be an issue either.
For now, the Marlins will prepare to play the Guardians without Tim Anderson. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM EST in Miami.
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