{"id":679998,"date":"2026-04-20T21:13:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679998\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T21:13:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:13:11","slug":"drew-andersons-early-collapse-has-tigers-stuck-with-a-costly-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679998\/","title":{"rendered":"Drew Anderson\u2019s early collapse has Tigers stuck with a costly problem"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s getting harder to dress this up as \u201cearly-season struggles.\u201d At some point, the Detroit Tigers have to call what they\u2019re seeing from Drew Anderson exactly what it is: untenable.<\/p>\n

The numbers aren\u2019t just bad \u2014 they\u2019re alarming. A 7.94 ERA through his first 11 1\/3 innings, 10 runs allowed in just seven appearances, and outings that feel like tightrope acts without a net. Every time Anderson enters a game, the margin for error disappears. And more often than not, it\u2019s the Tigers who end up paying for it.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a far cry from the pitcher who dominated<\/a> overseas with the SSG Landers. In two seasons in the KBO League, Anderson looked like a legitimate frontline arm \u2014 piling up 245 strikeouts with a 2.25 ERA in 2025 alone. But the translation back to MLB has been anything but smooth.<\/p>\n

His stuff doesn\u2019t miss bats the same way. His command has wavered. And perhaps most concerning, there\u2019s little indication that a turnaround is imminent<\/a>. Even his \u201csuccessful\u201d outing \u2014 the one that resulted in his first hold \u2014 came with the quiet understanding that it could have just as easily been a loss if not for late-game heroics.<\/p>\n

Drew Anderson has been a disaster, but the Tigers are stuck with him after signing him to a bad contract<\/p>\n

When it comes to Anderson, here\u2019s the uncomfortable reality: the Tigers may not have a choice but to keep running him out there.<\/p>\n

Detroit committed $7 million to him <\/a>this season, with a $10 million team option looming in 2027. For a franchise already navigating the delicate balance of payroll and competitive window, that\u2019s not insignificant money. And historically, this organization has shown little appetite for eating contracts \u2014 especially not this early into a deal.<\/p>\n

That creates a frustrating loop. Anderson struggles, but he keeps getting chances. Not necessarily because he\u2019s earned them \u2014 but because the Tigers can\u2019t justify cutting bait on that investment just yet. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a dangerous game. Every outing becomes a risk to the bullpen, to the standings, and to clubhouse trust. Teammates can only pick up the slack so many times before it starts to wear. And fans? They\u2019ve already seen enough.<\/p>\n

At some point, the Tigers have to decide what\u2019s more costly: the money they\u2019ve already spent, or the games they\u2019re continuing to lose. Right now, they\u2019re trying to avoid both \u2014 but if Drew Anderson doesn\u2019t figure it out soon, they may not have that luxury much longer.<\/p>\n

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