Tim Anderson retires after 10 MLB seasons, opens up on difficult final years

Tim Anderson is retiring from Major League Baseball after 10 seasons. The former Chicago White Sox shortstop, who won the 2019 American League batting title and made two All-Star teams, announced the decision Monday at age 33. Anderson said he tried to get his body back to where it once was, but could not. His last MLB appearance came with the Los Angeles Angels on May 25, 2025.Tim Anderson explains why he is retiring after 10 MLB seasonsAnderson spent eight seasons with the White Sox before playing for the Miami Marlins and Angels. Across 991 games, he hit .276 with 98 home runs, 350 RBIs and 122 stolen bases. He became one of Chicago’s most recognizable players during his best years and won the batting title in 2019 after hitting .335.His two All-Star selections came in 2021 and 2022. Anderson also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2020. One of his biggest moments came in the 2021 Field of Dreams game, when he hit a walk-off home run against the New York Yankees.The later part of his career was much harder. Injuries limited him, and his production fell after his strong run with Chicago. He joined Miami in 2024 and later signed with Los Angeles for the 2025 season. The Angels designated him for assignment in May 2025, and he did not return to the majors.Anderson said the physical side was only part of the reason. “I fought for the last two, three years. You know, I trained and I just couldn’t get the body to operate like it used to,” he said, according to The Associated Press.He also spoke about how difficult baseball had become for him mentally. “It just got to the point where I really couldn’t enjoy it,” Anderson said. “Just being in that setting, it just wasn’t the same.”Chicago White Sox to honor Tim Anderson in SeptemberThe White Sox plan to honor Anderson before their Sept. 17 game against the Detroit Tigers. The team will wear its black-and-white Nike City Connect “Southside” uniforms for the only time this season.The uniforms carry a special link to Anderson’s White Sox years. He wore them during the team’s 2021 season, when Chicago won the American League Central. The tribute gives the former shortstop a chance to return to the place where he spent most of his career.Anderson’s time in baseball also included painful moments away from the field. A close friend was shot and killed in Alabama in 2017, and Anderson later spoke publicly about how that affected him. In a 2023 appearance on The Pivot Podcast, he also discussed personal problems in his marriage and said he and his wife, Bria, went through therapy.Now, Anderson is stepping away after a career that included major awards, memorable games and difficult stretches. His decision comes after a long effort to continue playing, but he said he reached a point where the game no longer felt the same.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.