Miami Marlins’ Brian Anderson’s season ends as he heads for shoulder surgery
Brian Anderson’s 2021 season is officially over.
One day after saying he was still waiting on doctors’ opinions regarding his left shoulder subluxation, the Miami Marlins’ third baseman has elected to have season-ending surgery. The surgery is scheduled for next week and the anticipation is that Anderson will be ready for spring training.
“Just talking with him, he seems really comfortable after getting multiple opinions and then making a decision between everybody,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said before Friday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. “It sounded like it was pretty unanimous what he should do.”
The latest injury came when he dived to his right on a ground ball in the ninth inning of the Marlins’ eventual 6-5 walk-off loss to the New York Mets on Aug. 31 to start a doubleheader at Citi Field.
Anderson said Thursday he had been warned that diving could re-aggravating the shoulder. The 28-year-old, a Gold Glove Award finalist last season, also missed two months with the same injury earlier this season in addition to an injured list stint for a left oblique strain.
“I think he looks at it like ‘I’ve gotta get myself ready for for next year and feel like I I can dive for a ball in the future and not think that this is going to happen every time I do that,’” Mattingly said.
For the season, Anderson is hitting .249 with nine doubles, seven home runs, 28 RBI and 24 runs scored in 67 games. His .715 on-base-plus-slugging is on pace to be the lowest of his career in his four seasons in which he had at least 200 plate appearances.
“Obviously the season hasn’t gone the way he wanted,” Mattingly said, “with a lot of stops and starts in his season.”
With Anderson out for the season, a combination of Isan Diaz, Joe Panik and Eddy Alvarez will handle third base duties.
More injury updates
▪ Right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez (right rotator cuff strain) is scheduled to throw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, his first since being pulled from his rehab assignment last month.
▪ First baseman Jesus Aguilar (left knee inflammation) is rehabbing in Miami.
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