Report: Brett Anderson Rejoins Athletics on Minor League Contract

The Oakland Athletics are reuniting with starting pitcher Brett Anderson after agreeing to a minor league contract with the left-hander, the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reported Tuesday. 

Anderson spent his first five seasons with the A's. Over his nine-year MLB career, he owns a 4.04 ERA and a 3.73 FIP.

Generally speaking, his performance hasn't been a big problem, which is why he has played nearly a decade in the league.

Injuries once again limited Anderson in 2017, though. He suffered a lower back strain that landed him on the disabled list in May. Anderson didn't pitch again until Aug. 29, by which time the Chicago Cubs had traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays.

He went 4-4 with a 6.34 ERA and a 4.10 FIP while averaging 6.2 strikeouts and 3.4 walks per nine innings. The fact opposing hitters batted .364 on balls in play, according to FanGraphs, signals he could receive some better luck next year. The BAPIP gods can be fickle but the stat generally reverts to the mean—which is .315 in Anderson's case—after a while.

Anderson's 55.1 innings pitched in 2017 were actually his second-highest total since 2011, illustrating how frequently injuries have sidelined him. He has made 128 starts and 140 appearances since debuting in 2009, which averages out to a little over 14 starts a year.

The cost of starting pitching can be high on the free-agent market, even at a time when some starters are struggling to find new homes. Andrew Cashner will make $16 million guaranteed over two years with the Baltimore Orioles, and he's likely to be the team's No. 4 starter.

For that reason, signing Anderson is a worthwhile gamble. If he stays healthy, he'll be a massive bargain.

Of course, there's a reason Anderson's salary pales in comparison with other experienced starters. Only twice in his career has he eclipsed at least 20 starts in the majors, so there's a good chance he'll spend at least some of the 2018 season on the disabled list.

The fact Oakland is only signing Anderson to a minor league deal mitigates a lot of the team's risk. The A's aren't venturing much financially, so any positive contributions he can make in the year ahead basically represent found money.

Statistics via Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.