White Sox sign left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel to three-year contract

Dallas Keuchel

The White Sox on Saturday moved to boost their starting rotation, agreeing to terms with left-hander Dallas Keuchel on a three-year, $55 million contract, according to reports.

The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth season that could take the value of the contract up to $74 million.

Keuchel, 31, won the Cy Young Award in 2015 as a member of the Houston Astros, and he helped that franchise win its only World Series title in 2017. He had a strange season in 2019 -- he was a free agent last offseason, but signed late with the Atlanta Braves, and he didn't pitch until June.

He compiled an 8-8 record with a 3.75 ERA in 19 starts and 112.1 innings pitched. He struck out 91, walked 39 and posted a 1.367 WHIP.

This signing is interesting. Keuchel was once an ace, but he's not anymore, but then again he's not being paid like an ace. For actual ace contracts, see Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg. He's being paid like a stabilizing, mid-rotation veteran, and the hope is he can pitch like a stabilizing, mid-rotation veteran. Keuchel has three 200-plus inning seasons in his past, and he will be the only member of the Sox pitching staff to have ever reached the 200-inning threshold.

Here's how the rotation may look when the season starts:
1. Lucas Giolito
2. Keuchel
3. Reynaldo Lopez
4. Dylan Cease
5. Gio Gonzalez

And let's not forget, Michael Kopech is healthy and will join the rotation at some point.

The concern about Keuchel would be his age. At 31, his best season (2015) is five years in the past. He isn't going to go 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA again. He doesn't have the velocity that the stats guys love -- you're going to be seeing a lot of 87 mph sinkers. And it is true that Keuchel was not the Sox's top choice. That was Zack Wheeler, who signed a five-year deal with Philadelphia.

However, consider these things about Keuchel: He has compiled a 121 ERA+ over the past three seasons. That means he's been 21 percent better than league average over that time, and it's notable that these numbers DO NOT include his Cy Young season of 2015. He's also been healthy, knock on wood. There's only been one stint on the injured list in the past seven years, and that was for a pinched nerve in his neck. Keuchel has never missed time because of a shoulder or elbow problem. And Keuchel had a 60.1 groundball rate last season -- that's the best in baseball for any pitcher who threw more than 110 innings.

Now, whether the Sox infield can catch all those groundballs, that's a matter of debate. But I think that number demonstrates that Keuchel can still be an effective starter for the Sox, and I don't think three years and about $18 million per is an overpay at all -- especially when you consider what aces are receiving in the current marketplace.

Perhaps most importantly, this addition -- and the addition of Gonzalez -- sends pitchers such as Dylan Covey, Carson Fulmer and Ross Detwiler to the back of the line in terms of rotation options. Even if you don't care for these two additions, Keuchel and Gonzalez have a floor that is higher than the ceilings of pitchers such as Covey and Detwiler. At minimum, the Sox have made incremental progress here.

White Sox reportedly adding Gio Gonzalez, Cheslor Cuthbert

Gio Gonzalez

The White Sox on Thursday agreed to contracts with left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez and infielder Cheslor Cuthbert, according to reports.

MLB.com is saying we don't know the terms on the Gonzalez deal as yet, because the Sox have not confirmed the move.

Gonzalez, 34, appeared in 19 games (17 starts) with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019, going 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.294 WHIP. He struck out 78 and walked 37 over 87.1 innings pitched.

We all figured the Sox would add a back-end starter eventually, and this signing is OK on one condition -- Gonzalez needs to be the second- or third-best starter the Sox sign this offseason. So far, he's the best starter they've signed, and that's concerning.

Maybe I should amend the projected rotation I posted yesterday to look more like this:

1. Lucas Giolito
2. ??????
3. Reynaldo Lopez
4. Dylan Cease
5. Gonzalez

The Sox still need another starting pitcher, and it needs to be somebody who can pitch deeper into games and be more reliable than a journeyman veteran such as Gonzalez.

Cuthbert, 27, is a former Kansas City Royals prospect who never panned out. Last season, he batted .246/.294/.379 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 87 games and 330 plate appearances. His career slash line is .250/.300/.378.

Meh. At least it's only a minor-league deal. Cuthbert has played third base and first base in his career. I guess he's around as protection in case Yoan Moncada suffers another nagging, soft tissue injury at some point during the 2020 season.

Other than that, I got nothing.

White Sox are bringing back Ross Detwiler (on a minor-league deal)

What? You hoped the White Sox would sign an actual starting pitcher today? Not a chance!

Instead, you will have to settle for the team signing journeyman left-hander Ross Detwiler to a minor-league deal.

Detwiler appeared in 18 games (12 starts) with the Sox in 2019, and he did little to distinguish himself. He went 3-5 with a 6.59 ERA and a 1.614 WHIP in 44 innings.

Like most fans, I had hoped the Sox were moving past guys like this, and I'm hoping this is nothing more than, "Hey, somebody's gotta pitch in Triple-A."

But then you look at the projected Sox rotation, and you can't help but wonder:

1. Lucas Giolito
2. Reynaldo Lopez
3. Dylan Cease
4. ??????
5. ??????

Yes, Michael Kopech should be ready to go when the season starts, but there are rumblings that the team will work him back into the mix slowly, maybe even starting him at Triple-A Charlotte.

In the meantime, somebody else has to fill those two spots. In the absence of another acquisition or two, we're looking at Detwiler, Dylan Covey and Carson Fulmer competing for jobs again.

That sends chills down my spine.

C'mon, Sox, sign a free agent pitcher already, will you?

Former White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia signs with Milwaukee Brewers

Avisail Garcia

Former White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia has agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to a report by MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Garcia, 28, still needs to pass a physical before the signing becomes official. The outfielder spent 2019 with the Tampa Bay Rays, batting .282/.332/.464 with 20 home runs, 25 doubles, 10 stolen bases and 72 RBIs in 125 games and 530 plate appearances.

Previously, Garcia played for the Sox from 2013-18. During those six seasons, he batted .271/.322/.424 with 74 home runs and 289 RBIs over 585 games and 2,358 plate appearances.

Garcia is the second former Sox player to join Milwaukee this offseason. Earlier this fall, the Brewers acquired catcher Omar Narvaez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.

Corey Kluber headed to Texas; Madison Bumgarner signs with Arizona

Corey Kluber

Two big-name pitchers changed teams Sunday. The Cleveland Indians traded two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers, while longtime San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kluber was limited to seven starts in 2019 because of a broken right forearm and a strained oblique muscle, but despite those injuries, the return in this deal seems underwhelming for the Indians.

Texas gave up outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase. DeShields, 27, has played 106 or more games in four of the past five seasons with the Rangers, and he's a speedy player and solid defender in center field. However, he's never become much with the bat. Last season, he batted .249/.325/.347 with four home runs and 32 RBIs in 118 games. Not impactful.

Clase, 21, appeared in 21 games with Texas last season and went 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched. I had never heard of him until Sunday.

I like the deal for the Rangers, even though Kluber is 33 and coming off an injury-plagued year. He joins a Texas rotation that includes Lance Lynn, Mike Minor, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles. The latter two were signed as free agents this offseason.

Credit the Texas front office for moving to fill the holes in its pitching staff. I wish a certain team that plays on the South Side of Chicago would do something similar. The Rangers have five big league-caliber starters now, and that gives them a chance.

Meanwhile, Bumgarner is staying in the NL West and joining the Diamondbacks. The 30-year-old is a three-time World Series champion with a career record of 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA. He's known for his postseason excellence; he's 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA in the playoffs, including 4-0 with a 0.25 ERA in five career World Series games.

He joins Robbie Ray, Luke Weaver, Mike Leake and Zac Gallen in the projected Arizona rotation, although Ray is entering the last season of his contract and could be traded before the offseason is over.

The price for Bumgarner seems reasonable in this market, five years and $85 million. The top two remaining free agent pitchers are Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel, neither of whom should command as good a contract as Bumgarner got.

Maybe the White Sox should sign one of these guys, no? It would be better than starting the season with Dylan Covey and Carson Fulmer in the rotation, you know?

Anthony Rendon signs seven-year, $245 million deal with Angels

Anthony Rendon

Remember last year when the top free agents didn't sign until it was time for spring training to start?

Yeah, that's not happening this year. The top three free agents all came off the board this week at the Winter Meetings, with third baseman Anthony Rendon agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Gerrit Cole signed with the New York Yankees, while Stephen Strasburg returned to the Washington Nationals.

Do you think the Angels are going to score some runs this season? Rendon is joining an offense that already includes the best player on the planet, center fielder Mike Trout, and outfielder/pitcher Shohei Ohtani.

So, Trout is making $36 million in 2019. Rendon is making $35 million. Albert Pujols is making $29 million, and Justin Upton is making $21 million.

That's $121 million tied up in four hitters for the Angels. And they haven't addressed the holes in their pitching staff yet. We'll see if they have more money they can spend.

Hawk Harrelson elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame

"Hawk" Harrelson

Our congratulations go out to longtime White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, who on Wednesday was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the 2020 Ford C. Frick Award winner.

The award is presented annually for excellence in broadcasting. Harrelson will be recognized during the Hall of Fame awards presentation on July 25.

For 33 years, Harrelson was the TV voice of the Sox. He is a two-time winner of Illinois Sportscaster of the Year, a five-time Emmy Award winner, and he won the 2010 Ring Lardner Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism.

But most of all, Harrelson changed the vernacular of the game of baseball, and of life itself, with his colorful catch phrases and the unique nicknames he gave to players -- many of which have stood the test of time.

From "He Gone!" to "Can of Corn" to "Mercy" to "You can put it on the board, Yes!" Hawk has been the summertime soundtrack in my home and in the lives of many Chicago baseball fans for years.

He was an unapologetic homer, and that's part of what made him one of kind. He was for the Sox, and he let you know it. He wasn't afraid to criticize the opposition or rip the umpires if he felt the Sox had been done wrong. That made him a polarizing figure, even among Sox fans.

When the Sox were bad, especially in Harrelson's later years on the mic, the broadcast could become a tough listen. Sometimes, Harrelson would just go silent with disgust, or he would make excuses for the team's poor play.

But, when the Sox were going good, Harrelson's passion for the game and pure joy would shine through on the broadcast. When the Sox won a big game, you KNEW the Sox had won a big game, because Harrelson was at his very best in those moments.

And, of course, Harrelson gave the greatest Sox player of all time his nickname. Hall of Famer Frank Thomas will forever be known as "The Big Hurt."

Harrelson earned this honor by amassing the highest point total in a vote conducted by the Hall of Fame's 15-member Frick Award Committee. This year's other finalists included Joe Castiglione, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Pat Hughes, Ned Martin, Mike Shannon and Dewayne Staats.