2) Tyler Anderson is a gamble to keep an eye on
A second lefty and a second starter, that’ll be a theme here by the way, on the list is Tyler Anderson. Unlike Kikuchi, he is under contract for next season. The payday comes out to $13 million which is exactly what Quintana is making right now. In some ways, he could be a direct replacement. A lot has been made about how much the Mets will spend next offseason. With the top free agent starting pitcher being Corbin Burnes and some good yet questionable arms in line behind him, it would benefit the Mets to trade for at least one additional arm at some point. Why not get started now?
Anderson had a bad first season with the Angels, finishing 6-6 with a 5.43 ERA. It came after a terrific season with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was an All-Star for the first and only time in his career. After one year, it looked like a very “Angels” move.
In year two, it has looked anything but. At 3-4 with a 2.92 ERA after 8 starts, Anderson is paying off a debut from last year’s struggles. Doing so with his typically low strikeout numbers, softer contact is the friend he relies on to get through a game.
There’s no need to push anyone over to get to Anderson. He isn’t a magnificent pitcher. This would make the most sense if the Angels were willing to eat a part of his salary for at least this season.