Mariners trade 2 prospects for veteran Pirates starter Tyler Anderson
Jul 27, 2021, 9:21 PM | Updated: 11:40 pm
Pirates LHP Tyler Anderson will reportedly be the newest member of the Mariners' rotation. (Getty)
(Getty)
It was reported Tuesday that Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson was heading to the Philadelphia Phillies, but he was later seen in Pirates gear throwing a bullpen session after the deal fell through. A few hours later, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Anderson was indeed traded, but to the Mariners in their second major deal of the day.
M’s trade Graveman and Montero to Astros for RHP Smith and IF Toro
Seattle had gotten the ball rolling earlier in the afternoon by trading relief ace Kendall Graveman and fellow reliever Rafael Montero, who was designated for assignment late last week, to the Houston Astros for veteran reliever Joe Smith and 24-year-old infielder Abraham Toro.
A few hours later, Passan reported that Anderson, 31, would be coming to Seattle to help bolster a Mariners starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries. The Mariners announced the deal Tuesday night, with Seattle sending catching prospect Carter Bins and right-handed pitcher Joaquin Tejada to the Pirates for Anderson.
Bins has spent time in High-A and Double-A while Tejada, 18, signed with Seattle as an international free agent in 2019.
Seattle started the year with a six-man rotation, but major injuries to the likes of James Paxton, Ljay Newsome, Nick Margevicius as well as shorter-term woes for Justin Dunn and Justus Sheffield have left the Mariners with only four healthy starting pitchers.
Anderson is in his sixth MLB season, and the Mariners will be his fourth team. He started his career with the Colorado Rockies in 2016 and then spent 2020 with the San Francisco Giants before signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh this past offseason, meaning the Mariners will have Anderson for the next two-plus months before he’s once again on the open market.
Tyler Anderson was dealing. pic.twitter.com/Jmh4FkkdVC
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 9, 2021
In 2021, Anderson is 5-8 with a 4.35 ERA in 18 starts (103 1/3 innings). He has struck out 86 while walking 25.
Something key to note with Anderson is that he’s thrown at least five innings in all 18 of his starts this year. That trend would certainly be welcome for a Mariners team that not only has leaned heavily on the bullpen this year but is now without Graveman.
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