Chicago White Sox Star Pushing For Extension

He's a clutch performer, a team leader, a two-time All-Star and a former batting champion. Now 29-year-old Chicago White Sox All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson wants to be rewarded with an extension. 

I’m on two option years, and ... it’s like, dang, I kind of want to know where my feet are going to be at the next whatever years it is and I want to know where I’m going to be at. I’m so comfortable where I’m at now. I’m kind of just really anxious to see what it is, and I would rather be comfortable as quick as I can.

Anderson told Scott Merkin of mlb.com that he would like to set his future on the South Side in stone. The soon-to-be 30-year-old will make $12.5M this coming season, with a club option for $14M next year (which is almost certainly to be picked up by the Pale Hose) before he would finally reach free agency at the age of 31. 

But he'd rather avoid all of that and just be settled in his life going forward.

“I have a lot of things that are going on with kids and just family. Being comfortable is huge for me. No, I’m not promoting ‘pay me.’ It’s just that’s what’s really going on. Everybody knows I want to be here. It’s no secret.”

Anderson is coming off a tough season. A groin strain and a season-ending finger injury cut his 2022 short, but Anderson still wound up hitting over .300 for the fourth straight year (.301). His power production, however, dipped to a career-low six dingers and a .395 slugging percentage in just 79 games. 

He feels he's better prepared physically for the 2023 season. “Just really understanding the body more as I get older and as I mature. Understand what I can and can’t do,” Anderson said. “And just realizing what I bring to the game and being confident in what I do, and not necessarily thinking too much of myself, but really having the most confidence I can and just believing I can’t be beat.”

Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports