Anderson's Rockies debut comes with a crazy connection

DENVER -- Not long after the Rays designated veteran righty Chase Anderson for assignment on May 10, two teams -- the Rockies and the Reds -- wanted him. Both teams targeted him for Tuesday night’s start at Coors Field.

“That was the word on the street,” Anderson said.

The Rockies claimed Anderson and were quite happy about his five scoreless innings with two hits, three strikeouts and a walk. But the Reds -- who employed Anderson at the end of last season and during Spring Training and at Triple-A Louisville this year -- finished the night with bigger smiles after defeating the Rockies, 3-1, thanks to Nick Senzel’s two-run, seventh-inning homer off reliever Peter Lambert.

Not getting Anderson worked out for the Reds, as it allowed lefty Brandon Williamson to have a sparkling Major League debut -- 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two hits. The Rockies’ lone run was Ezequiel Tovar’s solo shot that was responsible for Williamson leaving with a 1-0 deficit.

"It is a little strange,” Anderson said. “And Williamson, I was with him in Triple-A this year, so I know him pretty well. But, yeah, it's cool to see those debuts. And the goal for me over here is, I'm going to keep my team in the game, and he's not going to outpitch me.

“But he did a good job for them, and I'm happy for him personally, just because I remember my debut a long time ago. So those are special days. But our goal is to win games and wish we could have come out on top."

There was another human connection to Anderson’s Rockies debut.

The last starter to throw five scoreless innings in his Rockies debut was Antonio Senzatela, making his MLB debut, on April 6, 2017. The slot in the current Rockies rotation that Anderson filled had belonged to Senzatela, who is out with a right elbow ulnar collateral ligament sprain.

Not only that, but Anderson started for the Brewers against Senzatela in that game.

And not only that …

“I talked to Senza when I first got here, and I was his first Major League strikeout in ‘17 in Milwaukee, when he made his debut,” Anderson said. “But it was cool to connect with him here.”

Anderson did plenty Tuesday to start his connection with the Rockies swimmingly.

The 35-year-old was selected by the D-backs in the 2009 MLB Draft and debuted in 2014. Counting two relief appearances with the Rays, who wanted to retain him but needed the roster space, and Tuesday with the Rockies, he has been on seven teams. But since 2021, he has made 42 Minor League appearances with five organizations while trying to re-establish his Major League presence.

But Tuesday, he displayed how he improved during those uncertain times, particularly with the Rays and the Reds.

Anderson speaks glowingly of how the Rays, with their respected analytical approach, helped him employ his cut fastball and his changeup against righty and lefty batters. He also said during his time with the Reds last year, pitching coach Derek Johnson showed him a grip adjustment that brought sweeping movement on his slider. Results were immediate, and he used the pitch against the Reds on Tuesday.

“He was throwing everything he could throw,” Senzel said. “We had him for two months last year. Knowing him, I knew he knew that we knew what he had.”

Anderson established immediate rapport with Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, whom he shook off on just two of his 59 pitches. The performance was a boon for manager Bud Black, whose team has four starters on the injured list and three either out for the season (Germán Márquez, Tommy John surgery) or facing lengthy absences (Ryan Feltner with a concussion and fractured skull from being hit with a line drive, and Senzatela).

“It’s a little different style, but similar from his days at Arizona and Milwaukee,” Black said. “Good fastball -- good velocity, good location. Good changeup; for me, that’s his best over the years. He’s had that little harder slider, which was effective. There's another breaking pitch in there.

“He pitched, did a really good job. Five zeros, one hit.”