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As Opening Day approaches, Brett Anderson’s status was up in the air after he developed a blister on his left index finger. While the hope was that he would recover enough to be ready for Opening Day, that will not happen now. This afternoon, the Brewers placed Anderson on the 10-day injured list, meaning he will not be on the roster on Opening Day.
Anderson has had a history of injuries, making him a risky pickup for the Brewers this season. This is his 13th trip to the IL/DL in his major-league career, and this will be his 12th season in the majors. 2019 had been a healthy season for him as he made 31 starts, but he he has only started 30+ MLB games in three of his eleven seasons.
Anderson had been in line to start in the opening series against the Cubs, pitching in the second game on Saturday. With Anderson now on the disabled list, that spot is up in the air. Adam McCalvy notes that Corbin Burnes pitched today, putting him in line for that start.
Scoreboard crew had 65 pitches for Corbin Burnes today over five innings. If Brett Anderson cannot go Saturday against the Cubs because of the blister, Burnes is lined up in that spot.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) July 20, 2020
While the Brewers will not have Anderson to start the season, he could be available as soon as the second week of the season. For the upcoming season, the rules state that IL stints can be backdated by up to three days at the start of the season. That means Anderson could return as soon as the home opener against the Cardinals.