The upward mobility clause is essentially waivers; if a team wanted Anderson, they could have claimed him and put him on the 40-man roster. Instead, Anderson remains with the Cards, and Ari Alexander of KPRC reports that Anderson can opt out of his deal by May 30. He’s just depth at this stage in his career.

Anderson won’t make the Cardinals out of spring training, which isn’t a major upset. The 34-year-old has an upward mobility clause, so another team will have the ability to add the right-hander to their 40-man roster. If not, Anderson will have a choice to make, but likely would open the year with Triple-A Memphis.

Anderson joins the Cardinals after impressing in a pro day near the end of January. The 34-year-old forged a 4.04 ERA and 29/15 K/BB over 35 2/3 innings with Kansas City in 2024. He’ll have a good chance of winning a spot in the St. Louis bullpen, but the Cardinals will need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to add him to that group.

The 34-year-old right-hander reportedly exhibited good velocity on his fastball and commanded his changeup well during the session. Anderson posted a 4.04 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 29/15 K/BB ratio over 35 2/3 innings for the Royals in 2024. He has closing experience in the past and would make for a nice addition to many bullpens around the league.