Brett Anderson will now take his oft-injured talents to the MLB free agent market, as the Colorado Rockies declined his $12 million option for the 2015 season on Saturday.
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The Colorado Rockies are a team always desperate for starting pitching. That left them with a difficult decision with left-handed starting pitcher Brett Anderson this winter.
In limited action for the Rockies in 2014, Anderson was great. He is an efficient, effective, left-handed starting pitcher. Unfortunately he sustained two injuries that cost him most of the season, including a back injury that required surgery.
The Rockies could have brought Anderson back in 2015 by exercising a $12 million team option. That’s a lot of money for significant uncertainty, though, and so the Rockies have let Anderson go.
The team declined that $12 million team option.
Source: Rockies decline club option on LHP Brett Anderson. He will be a free agent, and one with a very strong market.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 1, 2014
As far as confirmation of that report, it came from Anderson himself.
Who has 2 thumbs and is a free agent...this guy.
— Brett Anderson (@_BAnderson30_) November 1, 2014
In just eight starts in 2014, Anderson pitched 43.1 innings with a 2.91 ERA. In his career, he has a career 3.73 ERA in 81 starts. Unfortunately that number of starts is low for six seasons of big league work.
There is no doubt about the fact that he is a quality pitcher when healthy. The question always has been, and continues to be, if he will ever be able to stay healthy.
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