The Tigers have agreed to let go of pitcher Drew Anderson, allowing him to join the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). In exchange, the Landers will provide compensation to the Tigers. According to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News, Anderson will earn a salary of $570,000.
Anderson, aged 30, had been part of the Detroit organization since signing a minor league deal in the offseason. He primarily served as a long reliever for Triple-A Toledo, pitching 14 innings across nine games. During this time, he impressed with 16 strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA, catching the attention of the Landers. With tough competition for a spot in Detroit’s bullpen, the Tigers were supportive of Anderson pursuing the opportunity in the KBO.
This marks Anderson’s debut in Korean baseball after previously playing in Japan for the Hiroshima Carp from 2022 to 2023, where he accumulated a 3.05 ERA over 115 innings. Anderson’s last appearance in Major League Baseball was in 2021, where he pitched 22 innings with a 3.27 ERA for the Rangers. He has also had short stints with the Phillies and White Sox, spanning five MLB seasons overall.
In a corresponding move, the Landers released pitcher Robert Dugger, as KBO teams are restricted to two foreign-born pitchers on their roster. Choosing to sign Anderson meant parting ways with either Roenis Elías or Dugger. While Elías has posted a 4.63 ERA over four starts, Dugger struggled with a 12.71 ERA in six KBO appearances.
Dugger, a former 18th-round pick of the Mariners, recorded a 7.17 ERA with four MLB teams from 2019 to 2022. He spent the entirety of the previous season in Triple-A with the Rangers, where he posted a 4.31 ERA over 29 starts in a league known for its hitter-friendly environment.
