Detroit Tigers sign RHP Chase Anderson, C Ryan Lavarnway to minors deals with camp invites

Detroit Free Press

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers signed right-handed pitcher Chase Anderson and catcher Ryan Lavarnway to minor-league contracts.

Both players received invitations to MLB spring training.

"The organization is actively looking for guys," Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Monday. "At some point, we'll probably draw a line in the stand, that you can't make the start of the season unless you're here by a certain date. That date is not today, so I think you'll see a few names over the next couple days."

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Chase Anderson throws to the Washington Nationals in the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Anderson, 34, has pitched eight MLB seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2014-15), Milwaukee Brewers (2016-19), Toronto Blue Jays (2020) and Philadelphia Phillies (2021).

He has a 4.20 ERA in his career with a 20.1% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate in 190 games (176 starts). In 2021, Anderson posted a 6.75 ERA with 20 walks and 35 strikeouts over 48 innings in 14 games (nine starts).

Before the 2021 season, Anderson signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Phillies. He was released in August and picked up by the Texas Rangers, then pitched five games for Triple-A Round Rock.

Lavarnway, also 34, has played 10 MLB seasons for the Boston Red Sox (2011-14), Baltimore Orioles (2015), Atlanta Braves (2015), Oakland Athletics (2017), Pittsburgh Pirates (2018), Cincinnati Reds (2019), Miami Marlins (2020) and Cleveland Guardians (2021).

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Boston Red Sox's Jack Lopez, right, runs on his sacrifice bunt in front of Cleveland Indians' Ryan Lavarnway during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Spanning the past five seasons, Lavarnway has played 31 games — hitting .311 with two home runs, three walks and 21 strikeouts. He has a .217 batting average with nine homers, a 24.7% strikeout rate and a 6.6% walk rate in his 165-game career.

Lavarnway attended Yale University and was drafted by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2008 draft.

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