Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson will undergo Tommy John surgery, according to sources familiar with the situation. He's expected to return for the 2024 season.
Anderson, 24, had a quick ascent to front-line big league starter, punctuated by a win in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, where he held the Houston Astros to no hits over 5 innings. The Braves won that series, clinching the franchise's first World Series title since 1995.
2022 was a down season for Anderson, with the pitcher registering a 5.00 ERA over 22 big league starts and eventually finishing the season in Triple-A.
Anderson was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to start the 2023 season after a tough spring training, posting a 6.14 ERA over three appearances with eight walks and eight strikeouts.
Anderson was the third pick in the 2016 MLB draft from a high school outside of Albany, New York, and quickly became a mainstay of Top 100 prospect lists throughout the minor leagues. He finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting in 2020 after just six starts, then finished fifth in the 2021 edition, posting a 9-5 record with a 3.58 ERA over 24 starts. Anderson also posted a 4-0 record over eight postseason starts in 2020 and 2021, with a 1.26 ERA.