It’s anticipated that right-handed pitcher Chase Anderson will activate an out clause within his minor league contract with the Pirates, as reported by Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (via X). Failure by the Pirates to promote him to the MLB roster would lead to him becoming a free agent.
Anderson is among several veterans facing opt-out decisions, with 31 players holding an automatic opt-out right in minor league agreements. This provision stems from the CBA’s Article XX(B) for free agents, typically those with over six years of service time who concluded the prior season in the majors, signing non-roster deals more than 10 days before the season’s commencement. Anderson wrapped up last season with the Rockies before joining Pittsburgh on a minor league deal in February.
The 36-year-old was vying for a spot in the back end of the rotation or as a long reliever. Pittsburgh utilized him from the bullpen in three of his four appearances this spring. Anderson has performed reasonably well, tallying 11 innings of three-run ball with nine strikeouts and three walks. Nonetheless, the Pirates have several players contending for similar roles.
Eric Lauer, Domingo Germán, Wily Peralta, and Michael Plassmeyer all signed non-roster invites to camp. Prospect Jared Jones might have impressed his way to the forefront of that group, while the Pirates possess a few arms without options (e.g., Roansy Contreras, Bailey Falter, Josh Fleming) who could obstruct the path to middle relief opportunities.
Last season, Anderson pitched 86 1/3 innings at the major league level, his highest workload since 2019. The majority of his outings occurred in Colorado, where he secured a rotation spot for the latter half of the season. Anderson posted a 5.75 ERA with a moderate 17.5% strikeout rate while pitching home games at Coors Field.
