According to Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (on X), right-hander Chase Anderson is anticipated to activate an out clause in his minor league contract with the Pirates. The Bucs would let him go as a free agent if they didn’t sign him to the MLB roster.
A number of veterans, including Anderson, had to make opt-out decisions on Friday. He is one of 31 players whose minor league contract included an automatic opt-out clause. That’s a clause in the CBA for Article XX(B) free agents who sign a non-roster contract more than 10 days before the season begins. These players are usually individuals with over six years of service time who concluded the previous season in the majors. Anderson signed a minor league contract with the Rockies after finishing the previous season with them.
The 36-year-old had been competing for a spot at the back of the rotation or as a long reliever. Pittsburgh called him out of the bullpen for three of his four outings this spring. Anderson has fared reasonably well, tossing 11 innings of three-run ball with nine strikeouts and three walks. However, the Bucs have a number of players competing for similar jobs.
Among those who signed agreements with non-roster invites to camp were Eric Lauer, Michael Plassmeyer, Willy Peralta, and Domingo Germán. While the Bucs have a few out-of-options arms (such as Roansy Contreras, Bailey Falter, and Josh Fleming) that might obstruct the path to middle relief reps, prospect Jared Jones may have pitched his way to the top of that group.
Last season, Anderson threw 86 1/3 innings in the major leagues, which was his most since 2019. He spent the most of his time in Colorado, where he was a second-half rotation player. Pitching at home at Coors Field, Anderson’s strikeout percentage was a mediocre 17.5% with a 5.75 ERA.
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