Tim Anderson’s career has come full circle in a way nobody in Chicago probably wanted to see.
For a stretch of four seasons, he looked like one of baseball’s most electric bats, a player who could hit .300, pile up big moments and carry the kind of swagger that plays under the bright lights. He made the jump fast too, finishing seventh in Rookie of the Year voting in 2016, then building a résumé that included four seasons above .300, a 2019 American League batting title and a league-leading run total in the Covid-shortened 2020 season. There was the unforgettable walk-off homer against the Yankees in the first Field of Dreams game, and there was also the infamous fight with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez in 2023, when Anderson wound up on the receiving end of one of baseball’s most memorable punches.
Now he’s done.
After appearing in more than 100 games only once since 2022, the two-time All-Star is hanging up his cleats. The White Sox granted him free agency in November 2023, he signed with the Marlins for 2024, was released in July of that season, and then played only 31 games with the Angels in 2025 before being released again.
It’s a career that started with a bang and faded hard at the end, but White Sox fans will remember the peak for a long time. His 2019 batting title was the franchise’s first since Frank Thomas in 1997, and that’s the hook for today’s quiz: can you name the most recent batting title winner for every MLB team?
One note before you dive in: the player had to spend the entire season with one club to count. That means Luis Arraez in 2024 and Trea Turner in 2021 don’t qualify, since both were traded and played for multiple teams.
Good luck!
In Other News...
White Sox Risk Stunting Sam Antonacci With One Frustrating Decision
Sam Antonacci has become one of the more interesting young pieces in the White Sox lineup, which is why the way Chicago has handled him against left-handed pitching stands out. The rookie has been used far less in those matchups because his production has lagged there compared with right-handers, but his overall offensive impact has still made him look like a player the organization should be building around rather than picking apart by platoon.
Antonacci is still early enough in his career that every decision about playing time carries extra weight, and the White Sox have to balance short-term lineup convenience with long-term development. Keeping him mostly out of those left-on-left spots may protect the box score in the moment, but it also raises the question of whether the team is limiting a core players growth by narrowing the very experience he needs to round out his game. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Trade For Luis Castillo Is Already Raising Doubts
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Castillo has not settled in during his first starts with the White Sox, which is exactly the kind of start that can make a deadline move look shaky in a hurry. Meanwhile, Smith is already drawing attention in the Mariners system as a rising prospect with strong offensive production, a reminder that deals like this are often judged less by the day they are made than by how the players involved look a few weeks later. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Have A Chance At Much-Needed Infield Speed
The White Sox have spent much of this season trying to patch together a roster that can better support the infield, and Jorge Mateo suddenly looks like the kind of low-cost, high-upside add that fits that search. The 31-year-old infielder has long been valued for his speed and defense, and after spending most of his career with the Orioles before landing with the Braves this season, he now finds himself available again as teams weigh what he can still offer.
Chicago is among the clubs reportedly interested, along with Tampa Bay, and the fit is easy to see from the White Sox side. Mateo could come in as a big league backup or on a minor league deal aimed at providing depth, which is the sort of flexible move teams often make when they need a little more range and quickness around the diamond without committing too heavily. [Read more 🡒]