Chase Anderson
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Robert Chase Anderson (born November 30, 1987) is an American
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
,
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
,
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
and
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. Anderson was born in
Wichita Falls, Texas Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Accordin ...
, and helped his father with the family business following his parents' divorce. He was a standout pitcher at S. H. Rider High School, pitching three
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
s as a senior in 2006 and setting a school record for career
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s, but his slender build limited attention from
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
recruiters. He spent two seasons with
North Central Texas College North Central Texas College (NCTC) is a public community college in Gainesville, Texas. It serves Cooke County, Denton County, and Montague County, Texas. History As with many of the early community colleges, NCTC began as an extension of t ...
before transferring to the
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
for the 2009 season. The Diamondbacks selected Anderson in the ninth round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He spent the next several years rising through the team's
farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
, suffering a setback in 2011 when an elbow injury caused him to miss nearly the entire season. Anderson made his major league debut for the Diamondbacks in 2014. During the 2016 offseason, Anderson was part of a major five-player trade between the Diamondbacks and Brewers. His performance continued to improve, setting career highs in wins in 2017 and
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
in 2018. Going into 2020, the Brewers traded Anderson to the Toronto Blue Jays, where his performance suffered amidst a shortened season. He spent most of the 2021 season on a one-year contract for the Phillies, but closed out the year in the Texas Rangers minor league system.


Early life

Anderson was born on November 30, 1987, in
Wichita Falls, Texas Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Accordin ...
. His parents, Michelle and Robert Anderson, divorced when their son was 12 years old. Anderson went to live with his father, helping with the family lawn care and firewood businesses. In their free time, Anderson and his father would play catch in their backyard, which sparked Anderson's love for baseball. Anderson also wanted to play
gridiron football Gridiron football,"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Ret ...
, but his mother was afraid that he would suffer an injury that would hinder his baseball career. While attending S. H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Anderson caught the attention of coach Kerry Hargrove, who purposely selected Anderson to pitch on the hottest games of the year. Hargrove told
KAUZ-TV KAUZ-TV (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Wichita Falls, Texas, United States, serving the western Texoma area as an affiliate of CBS and The CW Plus. It is owned by American Spirit Media, which maintains a shared services agree ...
in 2018, "He was such a hard worker, mowed yards in his high school days to earn extra money. So we would pitch him on days when it was going to be 104, 105 degrees, and we knew we had an advantage because we knew he had the stamina to last on those type of days". In his senior season with Rider, Anderson pitched three
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
s, including one against division rivals
Wichita Falls High School Wichita Falls High School (WFHS) is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District (WFISD) and is one of the district's three high schools. Located at 2149 Avenue H and Coyote ...
. He finished his senior season in 2006 with a 12–1
win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
and was named to the Texas All-State team as both a pitcher and a
shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
. Anderson also set a school record with 291 career
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s.


College career

Anderson graduated from Rider in 2006. As he was smaller than many of his peers, standing at and weighing , he did not receive many recruitment offers from
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
teams. Instead, he committed to attend
North Central Texas College North Central Texas College (NCTC) is a public community college in Gainesville, Texas. It serves Cooke County, Denton County, and Montague County, Texas. History As with many of the early community colleges, NCTC began as an extension of t ...
. In the 2006–07
National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...
(NJCAA) season, Anderson led North Central Texas pitchers in strikeouts, with 67 in
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. He spent two seasons there before transferring to the
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
. Anderson became a critical member of the Oklahoma Sooners'
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
, with a crucial
long reliever A long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early. Long relievers often enter in the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, w ...
performance against
Wichita State Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
in the 2009 NCAA regional playoffs. Leading the Oklahoma pitching rotation with 26 appearances in 2009, Anderson posted a 3–1 record with a 4.97 ERA, striking out 60 batters in innings.


Professional career


Minor leagues

The
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) selected Anderson in the ninth round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He spent the season with the
Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
Missoula Osprey The Missoula PaddleHeads are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Missoula, Montana, and play their home games at Ogren Park ...
of the Pioneer League, helping pitch the team reach the 2009 playoffs. The Osprey used Anderson as both a
starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
and reliever, and he went 3–1 for the season with a 2.38
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) and 49 strikeouts in innings. Anderson began the 2010 season with the Class A
South Bend Silver Hawks South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
, with whom he was named the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 9. The honor came after a seven-inning complete game shutout against the
Dayton Dragons The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field. In 2 ...
. He was soon promoted to the
Class A-Advanced High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Visalia Rawhide The Visalia Rawhide are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Visalia, California, and have played their home games at Valley Strong Ballpark since their ...
of the
California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
. He won Pitcher of the Week honors once again on June 7 after striking out 11 batters and allowing only one run against the
Stockton Ports The Stockton Ports are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Stockton, California, and are named for the city's seaport. The team plays its home games at Ba ...
. Between the two teams, Anderson posted a 7–7 record for the season, with a 3.32 ERA and 114 strikeouts in innings. Anderson began the 2011 season with the Rawhide as well but pitched in only three games before a flexor muscle strain in his right elbow ended his season. Returning in 2012, Anderson was assigned to the Double A
Mobile BayBears The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2 ...
. Anderson's father died shortly after
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
, and the pitcher decided to use the news to push himself harder, telling reporters, "I try to use things like obstacles in life as opportunities to grow, to get better, to learn something from." He led the Southern League with a 2.08 ERA in the early part of the season. In May, Anderson left a game against the
Jackson Generals The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (1964–2020), Southern League (SL) as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliat ...
after only two innings and spent seven days on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
. He went 5–4 for the season in 21 starts and posted a 2.86 ERA. He also recorded 97 strikeouts and helped take the BayBears to their second consecutive Southern League championship. That same year, Anderson played in the
Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
with the
Salt River Rafters The Salt River Rafters are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale, Arizona. The ballpark is also the spring training facility o ...
, going 3–1 with a 3.47 ERA and recording 26 strikeouts in innings. Anderson began the 2013 season with the Triple A
Reno Aces The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. ...
. Although he was placed on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
twice with an injury to the right triceps, he appeared in 26 games, including 13 starts, and went 4–7 with a 5.73 ERA. He was moved back down to the BayBears in 2014, where he began the season strongly, going 4–2 with a 0.69 ERA in his first six starts.


Arizona Diamondbacks (2014–15)

Anderson was recalled to the Diamondbacks on May 6, 2014, as pitcher
Mike Bolsinger Michael P. Bolsinger (born January 29, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Toronto Blue Jays and for the Chiba Lotte Marines of ...
was optioned to Triple A. He was credited with the win in his major league debut on May 11, giving up only two
hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
and one
run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
in innings of a 5–1 victory over the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. Anderson continued to dominate in the first part of the season, becoming the first pitcher since
Jered Weaver Jered David Weaver (born October 4, 1982) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres. Weaver was drafted in the first round (12th overall ...
to start his major league career with five consecutive wins. Sports journalists considered Anderson's consistent performance to be a bright spot amidst the Diamondbacks' disappointing 2014 season. Anderson finished his rookie season with a 9–7 record, a 4.01 ERA, and 105 strikeouts in innings. Going into the 2015 season, Anderson was named as part of a five-man starting rotation for the Diamondbacks that also consisted of
Josh Collmenter Joshua Michael Collmenter (born February 7, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves between 2011 and 2017, and currently plays in the Australian ...
,
Jeremy Hellickson Jeremy Robert Hellickson (born April 8, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Na ...
,
Rubby De La Rosa Rubby Nick De La Rosa Corporan (born March 4, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red ...
, and
Trevor Cahill Trevor John Cahill (born March 1, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Sa ...
. On June 13, Anderson pitched hitless innings against the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
before giving up a hit to catcher
Buster Posey Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III (born March 27, 1987) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Posey spent his entire twelve-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Francisco Giants, from 2009 until his retirement at ...
. Although he posted a 2.82 ERA in his first 12 season starts, a lack of offensive performance from the Diamondbacks meant that he only took the win in three of those matches. Anderson struggled by the middle of the season, with his poor performance reaching its crest on July 18, when he was taken out of a game against the Giants in the fourth inning after allowing seven runs on 10 hits. This outing came after he had given up a cumulative 19 runs in his prior four starts. The following day, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right triceps. In August, Anderson spent a brief stint in the minor leagues before Hellickson was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Anderson posted a 6–6 record in 2016, with a 4.30 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 27 starts and innings.


Milwaukee Brewers (2016–19)

On January 30, 2016, Anderson was traded to the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
alongside infielder Aaron Hill and shortstop prospect
Isan Diaz Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
in exchange for shortstop
Jean Segura Jean Carlos Enrique Segura ( ; born March 17, 1990), nicknamed El Mambo, is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels of A ...
and pitching prospect
Tyler Wagner Tyler Joseph Wagner (born January 24, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks. College career Wagner played college baseball at the Un ...
. The Brewers also received cash considerations due to Hill's large contract. On May 17, 2016, Anderson pitched seven hitless innings against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
before
Ben Zobrist Benjamin Thomas Zobrist (; born May 26, 1981), is an American former professional baseball second baseman and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, and Chi ...
hit a double on the first pitch of the eighth inning. After solo home runs from
Jason Heyward Jason Alias Heyward (born August 9, 1989), nicknamed "J-Hey" is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals ...
and
Kris Bryant Kristopher Lee Bryant (born January 4, 1992), nicknamed "KB", is an American professional baseball third baseman and outfielder for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs and San ...
in the ninth, Anderson was taken out of the game with one out remaining, and
Jeremy Jeffress Jeremy Ross Jeffress (born September 21, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, ...
got the save to preserve his win. In the middle of the season, Anderson struggled with both run control and longevity: between June 8 and July 24, he did not win a single game for the Brewers, and he routinely did not pitch through the end of the fifth inning. He improved towards the end of the season, cutting his ERA from 5.44 in the first half to 3.02 in the second half. Anderson made 30 starts and one relief appearance for the Brewers in 2016, posting a 9–11 record and a 4.39 ERA. Anderson's contract went to
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
during the offseason when he and the Brewers could not reach an agreement on his salary. Anderson lost the hearing and was paid $2.45 million for the 2017 season. On May 27, while playing against his old team, Anderson once again took a no-hitter bid into the eighth inning. His hitless streak was broken by a single from Diamondbacks batter
Nick Ahmed Nicholas Mark Ahmed (born March 15, 1990) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Amateur career Ahmed attended East Longmeadow High School in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, wh ...
, but the Brewers went on to win the game 6–1. On June 28, Anderson left a game against the Reds in the second inning after suddenly grabbing his left side. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique strain, but was expected to miss closer to four to six weeks. At the time of the injury, Anderson was having the best season of his career, with a 2.89 ERA and 8.5
strikeouts per nine innings pitched In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the numb ...
(K/9). Following a series of rehab assignments with the Class A
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, a town on the outskirts of Appleton, Wisconsin, Appleton in the Fox ...
and the Triple-A
Colorado Springs Sky Sox The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rockie ...
, Anderson returned to the rotation on August 20 for a game against the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
. Despite missing six weeks of the season due to injury, Anderson dominated in the 2017 season, going 12–4 with a 2.74 ERA, 133 strikeouts, and a 1.090 WHIP in 25 starts and innings. Following his strong performance in 2017, the Brewers signed Anderson to a two-year, $11.75 million contract on October 26, 2017. He also got the nod to start the Brewers'
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
game against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
on March 29, 2018. Anderson allowed one hit in six innings, but Jeffress was credited with the 2–1 win in
extra innings Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie. Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine regulation innings (in softball and high school baseball games there are typically seven innings; in Little Lea ...
. Early into the season, it was predicted that Anderson would become the Brewers'
ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...
. In his first four starts, he held to a 2.82 ERA and managed to break the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
' nine-game winning streak. However, he was unable to retain the momentum that he had built in 2017, as he went on to lead the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) with 30 home runs allowed. After allowing three runs in innings on September 18, Anderson was removed from the Brewers' starting rotation, and he was left off of the postseason roster entirely. He pitched to a 9–8 record in 2018, with a 3.93 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 158 innings and 30 starts. Following his lackluster 2018 performance, Anderson began the 2019 season in the Brewers'
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
, where he went 1–0 with a 4.50 ERA in five appearances. After a series of injuries and disappointments befell the starting rotation, however, he was moved back into the role, where he went 7–4 with a 4.19 ERA in 27 appearances. Critical to his newfound success was the utilization of a
cut fastball In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider ...
, which he used 14.5 percent of the time in 2019. FanGraphs ranked Anderson's cutter as the second-best in the MLB that year, behind that of
Jeff Samardzija Jeffrey Alan Samardzija (; born January 23, 1985), nicknamed "Shark", is an American professional former baseball pitcher. He played college baseball and football for the University of Notre Dame, and was recognized as a two-time All-American w ...
. Anderson's season ERA was 4.21 in 2019, with 124 strikeouts in 139 innings.


Toronto Blue Jays (2020)

On November 4, 2019, the Brewers traded Anderson to the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
in exchange for prospect Chad Spanberger. The previous season, the Jays had suffered a series of trades and injuries that had destabilized their starting rotation, and they were in search of a consistent veteran pitcher. Anderson struggled in the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
-shortened 2020 MLB season, posting a 1–2 record and a 7.22 ERA in only 10 appearances for the Blue Jays. His worst start of the season came on September 17, 2020, when Anderson gave up five home runs in one inning against the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, three of which came from consecutive pitches against
Brett Gardner Brett Michael Gardner (born August 24, 1983) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Gardner was a walk-on for the College of Charleston's base ...
,
DJ LeMahieu David John LeMahieu (; born July 13, 1988) is an American professional baseball infielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies. The Cubs selected LeMahieu in the ...
, and
Luke Voit Louis Linwood Voit III (born February 13, 1991) is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals. Voi ...
. Anderson became a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
after the season.


Philadelphia Phillies (2021)

On February 3, 2021, Anderson signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, placing him in competition with prospect Spencer Howard, veteran
Vince Velasquez Vincent John Velasquez ( ; born June 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres ...
, and other offseason acquisition Matt Moore for the fourth or fifth position in the Phillies' starting rotation. Moore and Anderson were named to the starting rotation at the beginning of the season following injuries to Howard and Velasquez. After Anderson had a disappointing performance in his first eight starts, with a 6.96 ERA and no outs recorded past the fifth inning, the Phillies moved him to the bullpen on May 21. Anderson missed the following two months of the season: at the start of June, he was placed on the COVID-19 injured list, and he spent the month of July on a minor league rehab assignment. On July 25, with starting pitcher
Zach Eflin Zack or Zach may refer to: People * Zach (surname), various people * Zack (surname), various people * Zack (personal name), lists of people and fictional characters named Zack, Zach, Zac, Zak or Zakk * Záh (gens) or Zách, a ''gens'' (clan) in th ...
suffering knee tendinitis, Anderson was called back up from his rehab assignment to help the thinned-out pitching staff. Anderson made 14 appearances for the Phillies, including nine starts, and posted a 6.75 ERA in the process. When Eflin rejoined the rotation on August 26, Anderson was
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
, drawing his release the following day.


Texas Rangers organization (2021)

Two days after being released from the Phillies, Anderson signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, his hometown team. He was assigned to the Triple-A
Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home games at the Dell Diamond. The team is named ...
. In five appearances there (three starts), Anderson went 0–1 with a 4.20 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings.


Detroit Tigers organization (2022)

On March 14, 2022, the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
signed Anderson to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. On April 10, Anderson was released by the Tigers organization. On April 12, Anderson re-signed with Detroit on a new minor league contract. He opted out of his contract and became a free agent on July 16, 2022.


Tampa Bay Rays organization (2022)

The Rays signed Chase Anderson to a minor league deal on July 25, 2022. He is slated to report to their AAA affiliate. He opted out of his contract and became a free agent on August 25, 2022.


Cincinnati Reds (2022)

On August 27, 2022, Anderson signed a minor league deal with the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. Anderson made his first start as a Red against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
on August 29. He pitched innings, allowing five earned runs.


Pitcher profile

Early in his MLB career, Anderson gained a reputation as a dependable, consistent pitcher for the back of the starting rotation. This consistent pitching approach has caused Anderson trouble, as his propensity for throwing fastballs down the middle of the plate has led to too many home runs by opposing batters. Going into the 2019 season, Anderson found that his pitch delivery had been hindered by poor placement of his lower body, and he revamped his pitching mechanics to assert better control over the ball. Part of this process included watching videos of aces
Max Scherzer Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and L ...
and
Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Ra ...
. Anderson noted the idiosyncrasies they took to ensure that they were properly aligned with home plate before each pitch. As a prospect within the Diamondbacks organization, Anderson's
changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
received attention from sports journalists. He was taught the pitch at age 13 by the head coach at Rider. For the first three seasons of his major league career, Anderson leaned heavily on a two-pitch repertoire consisting of the changeup and a
four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is ca ...
. In 2017, however, he decided to diversify his repertoire by adding a cut fastball and a
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
to increase his strike rate. As he developed his curveball further, Anderson stopped utilizing a sinker that had made up a critical piece of his early repertoire. Anderson has cited fellow Texan pitchers
Nolan Ryan Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanning four decades, Ryan ...
and
Josh Beckett Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. After ...
as inspirations.


Personal life

Anderson's father died in 2012 of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
at the age of 58. Since then, Anderson has worn an outfit that belonged to his father while en route to every home start, and writes his father's initials in the dirt of the
pitcher's mound A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...
before beginning play. He married his wife Anna in 2013. The following year, she gave up her job as a
realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...
in Dallas in order to follow her husband's baseball career. Chase and Anna's oldest son, Robert Hunter Anderson, was born in November 2016, and was named after Anderson's late father and his wife's maiden name. Their second child, Elliana, was born in March 2019. Anderson is a
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
. He became a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
through the influence of his grandmother, Annette Anderson, with whom he attended both Baptist and
United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
churches. He attends The Village Church in Dallas. Annette's battle with
melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...
, as well as several cancer deaths in his wife's family, led Anderson to begin charity work with Cancer Knows No Borders. In 2017, Anderson worked with Cubs first baseman
Anthony Rizzo Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He is a three-time ...
to increase cancer awareness and raise money for medical programs in Wisconsin and Illinois.


References


External links

*
Oklahoma Sooners bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Chase 1987 births Living people People from Wichita Falls, Texas Baseball players from Texas Major League Baseball pitchers Arizona Diamondbacks players Milwaukee Brewers players Toronto Blue Jays players Philadelphia Phillies players Cincinnati Reds players NCTC Lions baseball players Oklahoma Sooners baseball players Missoula Osprey players South Bend Silver Hawks players Visalia Rawhide players Mobile BayBears players Salt River Rafters players Reno Aces players Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players San Antonio Missions players Round Rock Express players