The Boston Red Sox designated former pitcher Chase Anderson for assignment on July 28. Instead of sticking in Worcester to await another potential call-up, Anderson opted for release.
Soon after his departure from the Red Sox organization, the veteran was quickly signed elsewhere. The Texas Rangers inked Anderson to a minor league deal on Aug. 5. Texas is Anderson's third club this season. He signed a minor league deal with the Pirates and was released shortly before Opening Day before he signed with the Sox later that week.
The righty pitched to a 4.85 ERA over 52 innings with the Red Sox. He didn't strike batters out at a high clip with 35 on the year, but he also maintained a walk total just shy of the league average with 19.
Anderson had signed a minor league deal with Texas before but never made it to the big leagues there. If he makes the major league roster amid a playoff push, he'll bring years of experience to the Rangers' bullpen.
Rangers sign former Red Sox pitcher Chase Anderson, Alex Cora messes with Nathan Eovaldi
Per NESN, Cora told WEEI in their pre-game show he texted Eovaldi the starting lineup around midnight, knowing ever-competitive Eovaldi would stay up even later thinking over his plan of attack
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) August 4, 2024
The Red Sox claimed a series win on their trip to Arlington, TX., but they had to get through an old friend first. Former Red Sox Nathan Eovaldi started the final game of their series, and getting past him would be no easy task.
Hours before the game, manager Alex Cora helped his players out. Cora shared that he texted Eovaldi Boston's lineup around midnight the night before the series finale. The skipper knows his former players well, and the skipper was confident Eovaldi would have stayed awake longer than he should have to plan his attack on the Sox's order.
Cora's chess-not-checkers move may have worked. Boston got to Eovaldi for five runs and knocked him out of the game in five frames. The Sox overcame an early Rangers lead and secured a much-needed series win before their matchup with their wild-card foe, the Royals.