Mark Gubicza has unique perspective of Angels great Garret Anderson

ANAHEIM — Mark Gubicza had a unique perspective when it came to the late Garret Anderson, first knowing him as an opponent, then as a teammate and finally as a fellow broadcaster.

Gubicza fought back tears both off and on the air Friday when talking about the longtime Angels outfielder, who died at 53 on Thursday. No cause of death was announced.

Then a Kansas City Royals pitcher, Gubicza gave up two hits in seven at-bats to Anderson, and he remembered one of the two singles well.

“Bob Boone’s our manager and I think we’re up, say 3-1, and I gave up a hit or something,” Gubicza said, while standing on the edge of the Angels’ dugout. “So (Boone) comes out to take me out. G.A. is gonna be the tying run, so Boonie’s taking me out. I go, ‘No, no, I’ll get him.’ I said, ‘I guarantee you I get a ground ball. With all my life, I’ll get a ground ball.’

“Lo and behold, ground ball. It’s a base hit. So (Boone) comes back out and says ‘I gotta get you.’ I said, ‘Well, I got your ground ball.’”

When Gubicza joined the Angels for a short time in 1997, he relayed the story to Anderson and it sparked a friendship.

Gubicza said at the outset of Friday’s broadcast that Anderson belongs on the Angels’ “Mt. Rushmore of all-time players.”

“Mike Trout is No. 1 top dog here,” Gubicza said. “(Anderson) is No. 2. In my book, yeah.”

Anderson’s .296 career batting average is third in franchise history behind Rod Carew (.314) and Vladimir Guerrero (.319). And he is the franchise leader in games played (2,013), at-bats (7,989), plate appearances (8,480), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), doubles (489) and RBIs (1,292).

“He has somewhat borderline Hall of Fame-type numbers, they were that good,” Gubicza said. “But he’s so quiet, he kind of goes underneath the radar, unfortunately. I mean, he was a damn good outfielder, too. Everything about his game was really good. … He was just so chill in the biggest moments. It never bothered him, ever.”

Gubicza said that chill extended into their work on Angels’ pregame and postgame shows. Anderson had not worked on any broadcasts this season, but he was going to make his season debut in the coming weeks.

“I had so much fun working with him on TV more so than as a baseball player,” Gubicza said. “Everyone says he’s always so quiet, but he’s incredibly smart. And when you get him going, get him laughing, I’m telling you, his sense of humor is great. When you get him going, he was awesome. He was great at what he did.”

Gubizca said he was told about Anderson’s death on the plane as the team was flying home from New York on Thursday evening.

“I said ‘I don’t know how this is possible,’” Gubicza said. “It was hard to comprehend. It’s not right. … It’s not right.”

Gubicza fought back tears.

“He’s too good of a guy. He’s too freaking young. He’s too young. He’s active, in good shape. Everything about it doesn’t make sense at all. … If people got a chance to really know him, he’s about as good as it gets. He’s as real as it gets.”

Tim Salmon, a longtime teammate of Anderson, who was also a broadcast partner, echoed that sentiment.

“I was thinking about how our world has so many heroes, so to speak, and your heroes always seem to let you down at some point, right?” Salmon said. “Garret (had an) impeccable integrity, character. Great friend. I think every person that ever knew him had a great relationship with him. He didn’t have an angry bone in his body. He was super humble. Everybody loved him.”

IN A GRAY AREA

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez threw a bullpen session before Friday’s game, his third bullpen while on the road to recovery from elbow soreness.

Rodriguez, who was acquired in the offseason trade that sent outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles, is lined up as a potential boost for the rotation, possibly by early June. The former first-round draft pick (No. 11 overall) by the Orioles in 2018 made 43 starts for Baltimore between 2023 and 2024, going a combined 20-8 with a 4.11 ERA.

He had a lat injury that ended his 2024 season early then started the 2025 season on the injured list with a lat strain. In August, he underwent a cleanout procedure on his elbow and did not throw a single pitch all year. The Angels acquired him in November.

The next steps for Rodriguez would be a session against live hitters and then a minor league rehab assignment.

Rodriguez, 26, did make four appearances in Cactus League games this spring, going 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 12⅔ innings, but his last outing was on March 13 when he was shut down.

GETTING CLOSER

Right-hander Kirby Yates made the drive to Rancho Cucamonga on Friday for his first minor league rehab outing as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. Barring any setbacks, Yates could make his season debut for the Angels later this month.

“It’s just seeing him healthy,” Manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Obviously, he hasn’t pitched in a while. I know for him, results matter, but for us, it’s more about him getting out there again, and hopefully feeling good after it.”

UP NEXT

Padres (RHP German Marquez, 2-1, 5.54 ERA) at Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 0-2, 7.50 ERA), Saturday, 6:38 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network, 830 AM