Garret Anderson
The left-handed slugger who delivered the series-winning hit in the 2002 World Series and holds nearly every major Angels offensive record.
Garret Anderson was an American professional baseball left fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1994 to 2010. While he finished his career with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, he is defined by his tenure primarily for the California / Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. A three-time All-Star, Anderson drove in the championship-winning runs during the 2002 World Series and was named Most Valuable Player of the 2003 All-Star Game. He holds numerous Angels franchise records, including career games played (2,013), at bats (7,989), hits (2,368), and RBIs (1,292). Anderson passed away on April 16, 2026.
- team
- California / Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- position
- Left Fielder
- career_span
- 1994–2010
- all_star_selections
- 3-time All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005)
- franchise_records
- Career games played (2,013), at bats (7,989), hits (2,368), runs scored (1,024),
- jersey_status
- Not retired in source
- awards
- All-Star Game MVP (2003), 2x Silver Slugger (2002–03), The Sporting News Rookie
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Anderson's professional journey began when the Angels selected him in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB draft. He signed directly rather than attending Fresno State, debuting on July 27, 1994. His true emergence came in 1995, when he was named American League Player of the Month for July after batting .410 with 31 RBIs in just 25 games. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting that season. Over the next eight seasons, Anderson maintained elite consistency, accumulating at least 600 at-bats annually and breaking 90 RBIs and 20 home runs five times. His peak included a career-high 35 home runs in 2000. In 2004, he signed a $48 million extension through 2008, though chronic foot ailments began limiting his time in the outfield by 2005, shifting him frequently to designated hitter.
In Their Own Story
On October 6, 2002, in Game 7 of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Anderson delivered a defining moment for Angels history. In the third inning, he hit a three-run double that turned out to be the series-winning run. The team secured their first championship, and Anderson finished fourth in MVP voting with a .306 average, 29 home runs, and 123 RBIs. Two years later, on August 21, 2007, he set a franchise record by driving in a team-record 10 runs in an 18–9 victory over the New York Yankees. This performance included a grand slam and a three-run home run, making him only the 13th player in MLB history to reach double-digit RBIs in a single game. Later that month, he set another record with 12 consecutive games featuring an RBI.
Reader's Guide
Garret Anderson's career spanned from his debut on July 27, 1994, until his release by the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 10, 2010. After leaving the Angels in late 2008 via a buyout, he joined the Atlanta Braves for the 2009 season, where he became the 89th MLB player to reach 2,500 base hits on October 1. He concluded his career with the Dodgers in 2010 before announcing retirement on March 1, 2011. A three-time All-Star (2002–2003, 2005) and two-time Silver Slugger winner, he was also the first player since Cal Ripken Jr. to win both the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game MVP in the same year (2003). In 2016, he was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame. Anderson died on April 16, 2026, from acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
Did You Know?
- Anderson drove in the championship-winning run for the Angels with a three-run double in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.
- On August 21, 2007, Anderson set an Angels franchise record by driving in 10 runs in a single game against the New York Yankees.
- In 2003, Anderson became the first player since Cal Ripken Jr. to win both the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game MVP in the same year.
- Anderson reached 2,500 career base hits on October 1, 2009, becoming the 89th player in MLB history to do so while playing for the Atlanta Braves.
- Despite his offensive success, Anderson never scored 100 runs in a single season due to an inability to draw walks.