Shortstop Tim Anderson, a two-time All-Star and former batting champion with the Chicago White Sox, on Monday announced his retirement after 10 major league seasons, saying the game no longer brought him joy.
"I want to be open as I can, but the game [brought] a lot of pain, a lot of great moments," Anderson told reporters on a Zoom call Monday. "But just throughout playing, it definitely was a lot of dark moments. And it just got to a point where I couldn't enjoy it. ... I still love the game; it just brought too much pain for me. So going back to play is not for me right now in life."
Anderson, 33, last appeared in an MLB game for the Los Angeles Angels on May 25, 2025. He finished last season with a .205 batting average in 31 games.
"I fought for the last two, three years. You know, I trained and I just couldn't get the body to operate like it used to," Anderson said. "So I mean, I'm not one of those guys that's going to just continue to try to get back to somewhere where I just, you know, I couldn't get it back there."
Always a White Sox, TA7
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 10, 2026
Tim Anderson officially announced his retirement after 10 seasons (2016-2025) in the major leagues. pic.twitter.com/PFhQBi1Svj
The 17th overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft, Anderson played his first eight seasons with the White Sox and batted over .300 for four consecutive years. In 2019, Anderson hit .335 to lead the major leagues, and he was selected to American League All-Star teams in 2021 and 2022.
"I am definitely happy for my moments," Anderson said. "But I get sad talking about it because that's the first team that gave me my opportunity. It took a chance on me. I didn't have a crazy resume. I didn't play all the crazy little camps and stuff. They gave me a shot and they stuck by my side. I think it's only right that I get to come back and retire a White Sox."
The White Sox said they will honor him before a game on Sept. 17. As part of the tribute, the team will wear its Nike City Connect "Southside" uniforms for the only time this season. The black-and-white uniforms with Gothic script and pinstripes were worn by Anderson and the White Sox when they won the AL Central in 2021.
Anderson played with a heavy heart after a close friend was shot and killed in Alabama in 2017. During an interview on "The Pivot Podcast" in 2023, Anderson acknowledged having a child out of wedlock and going through therapy with his wife, Bria.
He also was suspended by Major League Baseball during the 2023 season after he got into a fight with Cleveland slugger Jose Ramirez.
Anderson finished his career with a .276 batting average with 98 home runs, 350 RBIs and 122 stolen bases in 991 games with the White Sox, Marlins and Angels. He won a Silver Slugger award in 2020.
"I get to wake up and do whatever I want to. And that makes me happy," Anderson said. "But as far as thinking about baseball, man, it's just, it's a lot."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.