Despite his tumultuous final season with the White Sox, Tim Anderson made it clear there was no bad blood when the organization declined his club option in November. Both parties felt it was time to say goodbye.
"That was something that we agreed upon," Anderson told NBC Chicago. "We thought it was time. And both ends [were] cool about it. Nobody was mad about it. We understood it, and we understood that it was time."
The shortstop admitted being back in Chicago feels weird but at the same time it's "like visiting home."
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"I understand the circumstance, I understand the business, and I'm in a better place and a better spot for sure" Anderson said.
Anderson, 30, was then asked to reflect on the positive aspects of his eight years with the White Sox. It may seem hard to remember given how his last season unfolded, but there are certainly a ton to choose from. And to the surprise of no one, Anderson holds that Field of Dreams walk-off home run near and dear to his heart.
"That was huge for the White Sox' history, also huge for the game of baseball," he said. "So I think that moment will be around forever."
Marred by injuries and personal matters off the field, the shortstop played in just 76 games for the White Sox in 2023. Anderson, though, doesn't let that jade his career on the South Side and associates those eight years with "great moments."
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"That one year don't define my overall career," he said. "I left a mark. I definitely left a mark and hopefully I made it hard for them to fill that position."
As for how he hopes White Sox fans will remember him? He's leaving that up to them.
"I did the work, and so I hope they take whatever they want from it," Anderson said.