Every offseason, a handful of players who took their game from North America to Japan or Korea come back, attempting to re-establish themselves with a Major League Baseball organization.
Through a series of circumstances, Detroit Tigers pitcher Drew Anderson looks like the best of those who re-emerged in 2026 after playing last season in Asia. And what looked like a shrewd signing for a potential pennant contender is suddenly turning into a move with implications for the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
More news: Tigers Infielder Emerging As Potential Trade Candidate; Blue Jays Could Fit
Anderson, 32, is 2-2 with a 3.62 ERA (117 ERA+) in 19 games for the Tigers. He’s struck out 46 batters in 37.1 innings — a promising return on investment for a pitcher who will make $7 million in 2026 and has a $10 million team option for 2027.
When Anderson signed with the Tigers in December, he viewed it as a chance to take what he learned in the KBO, the top league in South Korea, back to the best professional baseball league in the world.
Anderson appeared in 19 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox from 2017-21. With Detroit, he also had a chance to propagate a deep playoff run after the Tigers lost back-to-back American League Division Series in 2024 and 2025.
“I was definitely hoping [to come back],” Anderson said in a Zoom call with reporters when he signed, “because I really liked the Tigers. I watched them the whole year, both [2024 and 2025], going to the playoffs. And I definitely think this year probably progress into the playoffs even more.”
The season hasn’t played out as expected. The Tigers have lost 21 of their last 25 games, falling to 22-38 — the worst record in the American League.
According to FanGraphs’ playoff odds, only the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels have worse chances of reaching the postseason in the AL.
If the Tigers decide to sell before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, Anderson is an appealing trade target for teams looking for relief help. He isn’t the ace he was last season in Korea, when he went 12-7 with a 2.25 ERA and 245 strikeouts over 171.2 innings for the SSG Landers.
But he’s been better than Cody Ponce, who has spent most of the season on the Toronto Blue Jays’ injured list after dominating Korean hitters last year. Only Chicago White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay (5-1, 3.77 ERA after spending last season in Japan) has a case as the better American-born returnee in 2026.
If traded, Anderson is the kind of pitcher who could potentially help the Tigers bolster their rosters in 2027 and beyond at little cost to their 2026 fortunes. If they continue at their current pace, the Tigers will be playing for next year soon.
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