Kuzul

Looking to resuscitate his career after a disastrous 2015 season, right-handed pitcher Mat Latos signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Chicago White Sox, the team announced.

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com first reported the agreement.

Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times provided a statement from GM Rick Hahn:

After waiting for the top-tier free agents to sign this winter, Latos’ market slowly picked up steam. Crasnick reported Dec. 22 that five teams had checked in on the veteran pitcher, who was “probably” seeking a short deal to rebuild his value.

It’s certainly not a bad plan for Latos, who had the worst season of his seven-year MLB career in 2015. He posted a 4.95 ERA with 120 hits and 13 home runs allowed in 116.1 innings with the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, though there are some reasons for optimism.

For instance, Latos did strike out 100 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.13. His ability to stay healthy is one of the big question marks, as he’s only tallied 218.2 innings the past two years after throwing at least 184.2 innings each season from 2010-13.

Health might also help Latos rediscover some of the velocity he has lost, with FanGraphs showing his fastball has dipped from an average of 92.6 mph in 2013 to 90.7 mph and 91.5 mph the past two years.

ESPN.com’s Keith Law did give Latos a moderately optimistic outlook when ranking the 28-year-old No. 25 on his list of top 50 free agents:

Latos pitches like a No. 2 starter when healthy, with four straight years of that kind of performance until injuries to his knee and throwing elbow cut both his 2014 and 2015 seasons in half. He was still effective when on the mound, at least until the Dodgers acquired him in July, working with a mostly-average fastball that would touch 95 mph, a plus splitter and an above-average or better slider.

Law did note that Latos has a tendency to burn bridges when he leaves a team. He memorably called out some of the younger players during his time with the Cincinnati Reds in an interview with Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports last February, saying the “dugout looked like a ghost town.”

If Latos brings his best attitude and remains healthy this season for the White Sox, he will be one of the biggest offseason bargains. He hit free agency very young, and there are enough reasons to be optimistic about what will happen in 2016.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Like a college student who crams for a test he knows he will fail, the Chicago White Sox have created some artificial hope this offseason with a few creative moves.

The team was almost obligated to double down on a disappointing 2015 season in which the organization thought itself equipped to make a World Series run. It finished the 2015 campaign with a paltry 76-86 record.

This season?

Well, that’s likely to look much the same. Only this time, the White Sox—who elected to push for the playoffs past the 2015 trade deadline—will act in an entirely different manner. Expect them to dump inventory like a department store gone out of business come this July.

Use any term you want. Fire sale. Rebuild. Tweak. Makeover.

That’s all semantics. But this team, as currently constituted, isn’t a playoff team. The White Sox are stuck in baseball purgatory—better than those rebuilding yet a distance behind those contending.

To understand why, we must first go back in time. Not too far. But just to the 2015 offseason, when the White Sox became paper champions with a slew of moves that made the team a sexy pick to win the American League Central.

Prior to the 2015 campaign, the White Sox addressed a big need on the left side of the plate by signing switch-hitter Melky Cabrera and the left-handed bat of Adam LaRoche, who had hit at least 20 home runs in each of the three previous seasons.

They also signed reliever Zach Duke and traded for Jeff Samardzija—an acquisition that, along with incumbent ace Chris Sale, appeared to give the team one of the best one-two pitching duos in baseball.

Then the team unexpectedly flatlined in 2015.

So it’s understandable that it would want to approach the 2016 season with similar hope. The White Sox added All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier and infielder Brett Lawrie this offseason, trying to put a Band-Aid on what ailed them in 2015.

There’s also the “Chris Sale effect” too, which is to say that having one of the best left-handed power arms in baseball has motivated the team to try to compete this season.

The White Sox’s front office has been in angst while the team wastes Sale’s prime years as it continually misses the playoffs. The thought is that if the team were to make the playoffs, Sale, 26, is so dominant that it could ride him to another World Series.

That’s true. But it has to get there first. In another division, that might be likely. But in the American League Central in 2016, it seems unfathomable.

The reigning World Series champion Kansas City Royals were able to keep their core intact by re-signing outfielder Alex Gordon. The Twins nearly made the playoffs last season with a young, less experienced group of players that will only get better.

Both are better candidates to win the division.

With the Red Sox much improved this offseason, the Astros returning a young playoff roster from 2015 and the Yankees prime to compete, the wild-card race will also be too competitive.

And when the White Sox finally realize that the team can’t ride this collection of players to October, it will surely reboot and attempt to reinvigorate its minor league system.

Consider some of the team’s assets to potentially trade this July (for White Sox contract figures, click here):

• Jose Quintana, SP—At only 26 years old, the lefty has seen his innings load increase in each of his four major league seasons. His strikeout-to-walk ratio continually gets better—it was 4.02 in 2015—and every contending team can always use left-handed pitching. He is signed through 2019 and will make an affordable $5.4 million in 2016, making him appealing to small-market teams that may compete this season.
• Avisail Garcia, OF—Shockingly, Garcia seems to have fallen out of favor in Chicago. When he came to Chicago in a three-team trade in 2013, Garcia was thought to be a building block for the future. He suffered a season-ending injury in 2014 and hit only .257 in 2015. Could the 24-year-old still be in the White Sox’s future plans? Sure, but another subpar season could cause the team to shop him to a team that still values his vast potential.
• Todd Frazier, 3B—If the White Sox do find themselves out of contention by July, there’ll be no need for the proven Frazier. Any contending team could use Frazier, who has been an All-Star in the past two seasons and has two years of team control left on his deal.

By trading any or all of the aforementioned, the White Sox would still retain Sale (signed through 2019), first baseman Jose Abreu (signed through 2019) and center fielder Adam Eaton (signed through 2020)—all young players who would still be around even if the organization took a couple of seasons to restructure.

However, it should be noted that any player—even Sale—could be thrust into trade talks depending on how drastic a restructure the organization wants to undergo.

Would it be parting with young players? Certainly. But the value of players like Quintana and Garcia could net the White Sox a haul of prospects that would outweigh trying to compete for yet another season with this group.

The team’s issues are too great for a quick fix. We saw it in 2015. It’s difficult to believe 2016 will be any different.

And for a team in a hurry to compete, a fire sale might be the fastest way to get there.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs. All contract figures courtesy of Baseball Prospectus.

Seth Gruen covers baseball for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @SethGruen.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Chicago White Sox middle reliever Matt Albers has signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract to return to the team for the 2016 season, according to Dayn Perry of CBS Sports. According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (via Perry), the deal also includes a $3 million team option for 2017.

The right-hander, who turned 33 years old Wednesday, had a 1.21 ERA with 28 strikeouts and just nine walks in 37.1 innings pitched last season.

Next season will be the 11th for Albers, who sports an ERA+ of 102 through 552.2 career innings, per Baseball-Reference.com. His lone year in Chicago was arguably his best, though he pitched fewer innings than in other seasons.

According to Perry, Albers will slide into the setup role behind closer David Robertson. Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago likes the move:

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish said a move by the New York Mets helped bring Albers back to town: “Albers was a hot commodity on the free-agent market this winter, drawing strong interest from many clubs, including the Mets. New York’s recent signing of Antonio Bastardo to a two-year deal likely took them out of the running for bullpen help, leading Albers to go back to Chicago for another season.”

Chicago finished with its third straight losing season in 2015, while the bullpen was 15th in MLB with a 3.67 ERA and 24th with a .255 batting average against.

This might not be the flashiest signing of the MLB offseason, but if Albers can replicate 2015 and add another 30 to 35 innings, he should be able to help Chicago improve those numbers.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Chicago White Sox signed right-handed pitcher Nate Jones to a three-year, $8 million extension Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. By inking the new deal, Jones will forego his final two years of arbitration eligibility. 

The White Sox announced Jones’ deal includes two club options and a mutual option. On a yearly basis, Jones is slated to earn $900,000 in 2016, $1.9 million in 2017 and $3.95 million in 2015, according to the club. 

The team option in 2019 is valued at $4.65 million, and the 2020 option clocks in at $5.15 million, per the White Sox. The mutual option for 2021 tops out at $6 million. In the event either club option is declined, the team announced Jones will receive a buyout worth $1.25 million. 

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn commented on the move Friday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Daryl Van Schouwen: 

Jones suffered a UCL tear in July 2014 that required Tommy John surgery, but he rehabilitated and returned in time to pitch during the home stretch of the 2015 season. 

In 19 appearances, Jones posted a 3.32 ERA, 27 strikeouts and just six walks. He also allowed a meager 12 hits over the span of 19 innings. 

Working with a solid two-pitch combo, Jones impressed with his fastball first and off-speed stuff second. According to FanGraphs, Jones turned to his two-seam fastball 54.1 percent of the time last season while mixing in his slider at a 43.8 percent clip. 

Jones’ fastball clocked in at an average speed of 97.5 mph, per FanGraphs, and that kind of velocity could thrust him into a bigger role down the line, according to RotoWorld.com’s Matthew Pouliot: 

Signing Jones may not draw tremendous praise beyond the South Side, but it’s a savvy, team-friendly deal that could pay dividends so long as the 29-year-old can stay healthy.

Don’t be surprised if Jones claims a larger role in the back-end of Chicago’s bullpen now that the team has reiterated its confidence in his abilities.     

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Last fall, an All-Star third baseman was traded and proceeded to have an MVP season for his new team.

Now, the Chicago White Sox are hoping history repeats itself.

On Wednesday, the Sox acquired Todd Frazier from the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team swap that also involved the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The deal was complicated, as three-team trades always are, but the top takeaway is that Chicago added a power bat and one of the best third-sackers in the game.

Will it be Donaldson 2.0 on the South Side?

There are differences between Frazier and Donaldson, and we’ll get into that in a moment. First, though, let’s stack up the similarities.

In 2014, the season before the Oakland A’s sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays, a 28-year-old Donaldson posted a .255/.342/.456 slash line with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. 

In 2015, a 29-year-old Frazier posted a .255/.309/.498 slash line with 35 home runs and 89 RBI. 

Donaldson was the 48th pick in the 2007 draft; Frazier was the 34th pick that same year. 

So you see where the comparison is tempting and, really, inevitable. Does that mean Frazier will break out in Chicago the way Donaldson did in Toronto?

He is moving to U.S. Cellular Field, the eighth-most home run friendly yard in baseball, according to ESPN’s Park Factors statistic. Of course, he’s leaving Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park, which checks in at No. 7. 

Steamer projects a .252/.316/.452 slash line with 28 home runs, 85 RBI and 3.2 fWAR. That wouldn’t approach the insane line Donaldson put up en route to the AL MVP Award: .297/.371/.568, 41 HR, 123 RBI, 8.7 fWAR.

There’s also some disparity on the defensive side. Donaldson boasts 46 career defensive runs saved (DRS) and a 39.9 ultimate zone rating (UZR) at third base. Frazier, meanwhile, has compiled 22 DRS and a 25.1 UZR.

Odds are Frazier won’t be a 2015 Donaldson facsimile for the White Sox. But he can still be exceedingly valuable for a team that scored the fewest runs in the Junior Circuit and finished 19 games out in the American League Central.

The White Sox have strengths, including a rotation topped by ace lefty Chris Sale. And Frazier will join a lineup that features dangerous Cuban slugger Jose Abreu. 

But third base was a black hole for the Sox in 2015, as Chicago got an anemic .220/.272/.339 line at the position, “good” for minus-1.3 fWAR. Frazier should reverse that in a big way. And he’ll give them a fighting chance in a division that’s mostly up for grabs, as an MLB executive recently told Bleacher Report’s Danny Knobler:

FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan broke down the White Sox’s position in light of the Frazier addition:

The Sox still have their problems with depth, and that’s why they won’t be a favorite, barring more additions. They’re thin in the outfield and they don’t have a shortstop and the back of the rotation could be weak. But the collection isn’t bad, and it shouldn’t be too tough to find a quality fourth outfielder. The Sox had to go in one direction. They chose to go toward winning.

Donaldson, likewise, came to a Toronto team that was clawing for position in a wide-open AL East. He helped get them to the top of the division heap and then all the way to the American League Championship Series.

That’s the trick that would make Frazier this winter’s Donaldson. He doesn’t have to replicate those MVP stats so long as he gets Chicago to the postseason for the first time since 2008. It’s not the 22-year drought the Jays snapped last season, but it surely feels like long enough for Sox fans.

“I’m pretty excited; I’ve got to be truthful with you,” Frazier said after the trade, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I know it’s the American League; I know it’s going to be a little different. It might take a little time to get acclimated, but I just saw the [projected White Sox] lineup on TV; it kind of put a smile on my face to see the guys we’ve got.” 

One of those guys is infielder Brett Lawrie, whom the White Sox acquired in a swap with the Oakland A’s. Last winter, Lawrie was one of the pieces that went from Toronto to Oakland in the, wait for it, Josh Donaldson trade. 

Maybe it means something, maybe it means nothing. But these Frazier/Donaldson parallels just keep popping up. 

OK, here’s one more: In the 2015 Home Run Derby, Donaldson and Frazier faced off in the second round. The event, part of All-Star weekend, was held in Cincinnati. So you can guess who the crowd was pulling for.

“After 30-40 seconds into it, I could start to hear people boo me,” Donaldson said at the time, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “Then mid-swing, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going up against Frazier.’ Good for them. He put on an awesome performance tonight.”

Frazier knocked out Donaldson. Then he won the Derby and hoisted the hardware. The White Sox are hoping that was a metaphor and a microcosm of things to come.

They’re hoping, in other words, that history repeats itself.

All statistics current as of Dec. 16 and courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Ain’t no box jump high enough to keep Brett Lawrie from hurling his body on top of it—well, 67 inches might be too high.

The freshly acquired Chicago White Sox third baseman attempted a 66-inch box jump and landed it, sharing it to Instagram on Friday.

Don’t believe it? Check the measuring tape:

[Brett Lawrie, h/t Busted Coverage]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Chicago White Sox acquired Oakland Athletics infielder Brett Lawrie in a trade Wednesday in exchange for minor league pitching prospects Zack Erwin and J.B. Wendelken.

The White Sox announced the news through their official Twitter account.

Lawrie primarily played third base for Oakland this past season but has experience at second base; the 25-year-old batted .260 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI and still has upside. He spent his first four years as a pro with the Toronto Blue Jays.

It appeared as though Lawrie was fired up for his change of scenery:

Syracuse.com’s Jameson Fleming believes Lawrie will eventually live up to his talent and is therefore worth the investment:

To briefly examine the Athletics’ end of the trade, Erwin is a 21-year-old southpaw who showed promise in the minors this year with a 2-2 record and 1.34 ERA in 15 appearances with seven starts. Drafted in the fourth round in 2015, Erwin didn’t play higher than Single-A in his first year of professional baseball.

As for Wendelken, the 22-year-old righty played the two highest levels of minor league ball and fared rather well himself, registering five saves and a 3.20 ERA as a reliever after struggling in a starter’s role in 2014.

A’s outfielder Josh Reddick reacted to the trade and added an interesting anecdote about Wendelken’s arrival:

Chicago lost a similarly versatile infielder to Lawrie in Gordon Beckham, who signed with the Atlanta Braves in free agency. But Lawrie is definitely an upgrade, albeit one who did come at a cost in the form of two pitching prospects.

At least Lawrie is a proven everyday starter who packs some power at the plate and is a solid defender. Those are characteristics the White Sox have to be encouraged about he enters his prime.

After going 76-86 this past season with a lineup that had MLB ranks of 28th in runs scored and 29th in slugging percentage, Lawrie frankly injects some life into a clubhouse in need of it. He has tantalizing potential and is a fiery personality who could provide a welcome spark for baseball on the South Side of the Windy City.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura also manned the hot corner during his playing days, so he could well be a fine mentor for Lawrie as he tries to fully capitalize on his considerable skills.

Note: Minor league stats courtesy of MiLB.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies pulled off a minor trade on Tuesday, with reliever Tommy Kahnle going to the White Sox in exchange for minor league right-hander Yency Almonte. 

Scott Merkin of MLB.com first reported the deal.        

While not a blockbuster deal, the White Sox are strengthening an area of need. Bullpen depth was a problem last season with all five of their main relievers posting an ERA of at least 3.41, per Baseball-Reference.com. 

Kahnle isn’t a prominent reliever, but as Dan Hayes of Comcast SportsNet Chicago noted, the right-hander does miss bats and limits what arm-side hitters do against him:   

Getting Kahnle out of Coors Field also figures to help lower his ERA total. The Rockies were able to flip an asset with no substantial value given where the franchise is at for a 21-year-old who had a 3.41 ERA and 120 hits allowed in 137.1 innings over two levels. 

According to Baseball America, Almonte “is at his best” utilizing a fastball that touches 95 mph down in the zone with a slider as his strikeout pitch. 

The White Sox spent big on their bullpen last year with closer David Robertson, so investing in a low-cost arm like Kahnle is smart business. The Rockies need to build around young power arms in hopes of overcoming the thin air in Colorado. 

Almonte may not be the game-changing piece to turn the Rockies’ system around, but he’s a young power arm who may one day slot in the back of their bullpen. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As the Chicago White Sox look to improve on a disappointing 2015 season, they are reportedly open to trading outfielder Avisail Garcia.

Continue for updates.

Garcia Becoming Expendable As White Sox Improve Outfield

Thursday, Nov. 19

Garcia came to the White Sox as the centerpiece of a three-team trade in 2013 but has failed to live up to expectations.

Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com said his struggles, coupled with the addition of former All-Star outfielder Melky Cabrera last season and the emergence of rookie Trayce Thompson, have put the 24-year-old Garcia on the trade block.    

The outfielder hit .455 during the 2012 American League Championship Series with the Detroit Tigers, which created high expectations when he came to the White Sox. However, in two-plus seasons, Garcia has slashed just .263/.312/.389, with 25 home runs and 109 RBI in 236 games.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn has declined to comment on Garcia’s availability but has not given up on his ability to play in the major leagues, per Hayes:

We can’t lose sight of the fact that he was still playing last year at 24, at a young age. That really was his first full season in the majors.

The ceiling is still extremely high. Certainly everyone, including Avi, would have preferred to show more consistency and flashes of that upside on a more consistent basis. But it doesn’t change the optimism around him for the future.

Even though Garcia is young and just came to the White Sox two years ago, only three players currently on the team have been in Chicago longer. That number could shrink to one if Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham aren’t with the team in 2016, per Hayes:

His tenure and potential aside, words from Hahn on the development of Thompson don’t bode well for Garcia, according to Hayes:

I think Trayce has shown the ability to start. How we make that work is probably a better question come spring once we see how the whole roster looks. We’ve known from Trayce for the last several years he can be an above-average major league defender at three outfield positions. That gives us a little flexibility on how to work him in best and he’s certainly, from an offensive standpoint, showed he deserves to play. That’ll either work itself out before spring based on transactions or come spring we’ll figure out a way to use him best.

The writing appears to be on the wall that Garcia, who will be in his first year of arbitration in 2016, will not be back in Chicago.

Although his contract is very cheap and he has age on his side, White Sox brass must be tired of waiting for him to produce.

Follow @MikeNorrisBR

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

On Thursday night, Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu became the second player in Major League Baseball history to record 30 home runs and 100 RBI in the first two seasons of his career.

According to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago, Abreu joins Albert Pujols, who performed the feat in 2001 and 2002.

The White Sox followed with a congratulatory message for Abreu:

Scott Merkin of MLB.com reported Abreu planned to text Pujols after the game to thank him for helping him get to this point, adding that Abreu is honored to share the milestone with him.

Abreu knocked in his 100th and 101st runs of the season during the bottom of the seventh inning against Luke Hochevar of the Kansas City Royals, ripping a single to left field to pull the White Sox within two runs. 

MLB shared a replay of Abreu’s momentous single:

Abreu arrived at the 30-home run and 100-RBI plateaus in quick succession. On Wednesday, the night before his big single, Abreu socked his 30th home run of the season, also against the Royals.

MLB provided a look at his 30th home run: 

It’s another notch in Abreu’s belt as the 2014 American League Rookie of the Year looks to continue the success of a career that started a bit late. The 28-year-old Cuban defector signed as a free agent with the White Sox in 2013 and immediately captivated the league with his power.

Sure, Abreu’s career might one day lead baseball fans to wonder what could have been if he had played his entire career in America, but if his time in the majors turns out to be anything like Pujols’, he will be fine. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com