Marlins’ Brian Anderson aiming for big comeback following injury-riddled 2021 season
Brian Anderson has always been one of the more expressive Marlins players on the field.
But last year, most people didn’t see how Anderson had to deal with the most frustrating parts of a season that was derailed by multiple injuries.
Anderson knew, though, he could always turn to “Yogi” and “Wrigley.”
No, it wasn’t the Hall of Fame catcher or the iconic stadium in Chicago … or even the chewing gum.
More like Anderson and his wife Alex’s two best friends — their pet Labradors who the couple has had as part of their household since they were both in college.
“Whenever I look at my dogs, I can’t help but be happy,” Anderson said. “Whenever we take them out and they’re playing around, I get lost in that and I just forget about baseball for a while.”
The pups kept Anderson upbeat as he labored through what was the most challenging of his first five seasons in the majors.
Anderson, a Gold Glove finalist at third base during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, was limited to only 67 games in 2021 after dealing first with an oblique injury and later twice hurting his non-throwing shoulder.
The injuries interrupted his season on two different occasions and ended it in late August after he hit a career-low .249 with seven home runs and a .715 OPS in 233 at-bats.
Anderson was never really able to get in a rhythm after the oblique injury only three weeks into the season. Anderson suffered a subluxation of his shoulder, which led to him missing over two months before briefly returning in late July. He then re-injured the same shoulder in late August which led to season-ending surgery.
“I think in January when I finally was able to hit again, I finally didn’t have pain in my shoulder,” Anderson said. “I finally felt like myself the last couple of months.”
Fast forward six months and Anderson is showing glimpses of his former self.
That’s good news for the Marlins for two reasons.
First, if Anderson can bring stability and defensive prowess to the third base position as he did in recent years.
Over the three seasons since Anderson took over the regular starting job at third base, he has posted 12 defensive runs saved.
His five outs above average put him in 94th percentile among third baseman during the 2020 season, according to Statcast.
That season, Anderson also ranked fourth among third baseman with a .770 revised zone rating, defined by Fangraphs as “the proportion of balls hit into a fielder’s zone that he successfully converted into an out.” His three defensive runs saved, per Fangraphs, ranked third in the National League behind Nolan Arenado (13) and Manny Machado (7).
Even during a limited 2021 season, Anderson had 3 defensive runs saved at third over 554 2/3 innings.
Second, for a team that just acquired All-Star infielder Joey Wendle and brings back veteran Miguel Rojas and up and coming second baseman Jazz Chisholm, a healthy Anderson gives the team more quality options at the hot corner and in the outfield.
Anderson has six defensive runs saved during his career as a right fielder thanks to his above-average arm.
Mattingly often has compared Anderson’s versatility playing third and outfield to that of former Cubs and Giants third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant.
“Andy really is that same type of athlete that’s been good anywhere you put him and you feel like he’s pretty good, but the fact is you went in the lineup as much as possible,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We’ll continue to make sure that we create flexibility with our guys to be able to put as many guys in that lineup on a daily basis.”
Mattingly said for Anderson, success at the plate will likely just be a matter of getting consistent at-bats again, something he wasn’t able to do for extended periods last season.
Anderson’s power was starting to manifest in recent years when he hit 20 home runs in 2019 and 11 homers during the COVID-shortened 2020 season (59 games played).
“I think the one thing we worry about as much as anything is him diving on that shoulder,” Mattingly said. “But we’re not worried about his swing or his arm. If you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t know he had surgery. He looks like himself again.”
This week, Mattingly indicated Anderson would likely get reps in left field with the Marlins looking to use Avisail Garcia in right as well as Jesus Sanchez.
Anderson didn’t really play much at the position even in college, but his primary role will likely still be to play at third.
“We have to figure that out. It depends who’s in center, but I think we picture Andy more in left than we were doing right — not because he can’t play right; just because the guys that we have, the combination of players,” Mattingly said.
Anderson spent a big chunk of the offseason working with former Marlins third baseman Martin Prado - one of his biggest mentors during his first couple of seasons in the majors.
“Being in Miami with so many resources to play baseball and Martin helping me hit every day it was great,” Anderson said. “Martin is the best and he’s so good at offering insights and he helped me out a lot.”
