SEATTLE -- This was the last thing that Kade Anderson and the Mariners wanted to see, especially in an inconsequential game as their season nears its end.
Seattle’s highly touted left-hander was forced to exit during the top of the fourth inning of Saturday night’s game against the Angels after taking a 103.8 mph comebacker off his pitching elbow.
Anderson showed visible discomfort immediately after getting hit on what turned into a single for Halos second baseman Christian Moore. At that point, Mariners manager Dan Wilson and assistant athletic trainer Taylor Bennett immediately came out of the dugout.
After a very brief conferral, Anderson walked off the mound for good.
Of note, he was seen in the home dugout at T-Mobile Park for a period after instead of immediately receding into the clubhouse for further evaluation. The next inning, the club announced that the rookie had suffered a left forearm bruise.
Anderson was making his seventh and final big league start of this incredibly promising debut season in pro baseball. Selected as the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, he soared through the Minors then was called up to The Show on Aug. 22.
It’s likely that the promotion was for good, as Anderson is a huge part of Seattle’s plans for the long term and should be among its Opening Day rotation in 2027.
COMPLETE MARINERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
On Saturday, he scattered four hits and one walk among the 15 batters he faced, with four strikeouts over 3 1/3 scoreless innings before the comebacker. This followed seven scoreless innings last Sunday in Denver, in what amounted to his best big league start so far.
Anderson finished his first foray into The Show with a 3.79 ERA in 35 2/3 innings.
At Double-A Arkansas, where he spent the rest of the year, he went 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA over 93 1/3 innings, with 135 strikeouts, 13 walks and a 0.64 WHIP. He was recently named the Texas League Pitcher of the Year, and on Saturday, he was named the Mariners’ Jamie Moyer Pitcher of the Year, which recognizes the organization's best arm in the Minors.