The White Sox have officially agreed to a one-year deal with free agent righty Miguel Gonzalez, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter). He’ll receive a $4.75MM salary, the team announced (and as Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweeted). Outfielder Jacob May was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.
Gonzalez, 33, spent the bulk of the past two seasons in Chicago, though he was dealt away to the Rangers in late August. Now, he’ll return to help bolster a rotation that features several young hurlers as well as veteran James Shields.
For a rebuilding White Sox organization, adding Gonzalez fits with earlier moves. The club struck a contract with catcher Welington Castillo and dealt for veteran relievers Joakim Soria and Luis Avilan.
In sum, the moves have added about $28MM in commitments, most of it for the coming season, a manageable amount as the South Siders endeavor to supplement — and reduce the burden on — a budding young core. The White Sox roster still includes other veterans such as Shields, Jose Abreu, and Avisail Garcia. While Abreu and Garcia have arisen in trade talks, to this point indications are that they’ll likely stay put.
[RELATED: Updated White Sox Depth Chart]
Nobody will mistake the addition of Gonzalez as a signing designed to push for contention, but he has proven still capable of giving innings. In 2017, he threw 156 total frames over 27 starts, working to a 4.62 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Gonzalez carried career lows in average fastball velocity (91.2 mph) and swinging-strike rate (6.7%), though those figures aren’t wildly out of line with his established norms.
Beyond Gonzalez and Shields, the White Sox rotation will likely be made up of far less established pitchers. Youngsters Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Carson Fulmer all have top prospect pedigrees, but have yet to turn in full MLB seasons. Dylan Covey — who was actually once a first-round selection, going unsigned at that time — is also an option, though he struggled badly in his MLB debut in 2017. Carlos Rodon will be expected to hold down a spot once he’s at full health. The White Sox likely hope that top pitching prospect Michael Kopech will force his way into the picture at some point, though that’s no sure thing at present. All told, it’s not difficult to see why the organization felt it needed another reliable rotation piece.
As for the 25-year-old May, he made his MLB debut last year but struggled badly in a short sample. He has not fared much better at the plate in the upper minors; in 2017, he carried a .248/.307/.325 batting line in 467 Triple-A plate appearances.
#TheReturn
Nice, feel he is underrated and maybe some trade value if he can stay consistent.
A SIGNING
Wrong Miguel Gonzalez link.
Seems like MLBTR needs to clean up some of these mistakes. If you worked for TRUMP, you’d all be fired!
He’s been solid for the Sox. Good signing for the money
He is a solid starter and on a rebuilding team that needs him to eat some innings plus at 4.75 mil this is a good signing.
How many Miguel Gonzalezs are there?
In MLB, or in the whole world?
Smart sign.
I’d also like the White Sox to consider signing former southpaw Hector Santiago. The club currently lacks left-handed pitching depth in their rotation and the bullpen as well as among their elite pitching prospects. With Carlos Rodon likely to miss the beginning of the 2018 season as he rehabs from shoulder surgery Santiago could be a welcome addition on a sensible short term contract. He performed well with the White Sox as both a starter and reliever until being dealt in the 3-team trade that netted the club Adam Eaton back at the 2013 winter meetings. He also seemed to pitch well against the White Sox as an Angel whenever the Halos visited the South Side.
I also wouldn’t mind the White Sox consider pursuing another former pitcher who was dealt the same 2013 offseason, reliever Addison Reed.
agreed 100%
one thing that binds us white sox fans together is nostalgia. in a gap year it won’t hurt to bring back former players while the prospects develop.
I agree, as long as they give some value and don’t cost too much. I was actually hoping for this signing, as I think a healthy MG (he wasn’t last year) will give much more value than his contract. If Melky Cabrera would take a similar deal, I wouldn’t mind seeing him back either. We need someone to man LF while Eloy and Luis work their way through the minors. That would also push Delmonico to DH and Davidson to the bench, where they both belong.
For what Reed is slated to get on FA market, I’ll pass. IMO we don’t need a guy making 30-40 mil over 3-4 years as a 8th inning guy at this stage of rebuild.
Reed would certainly have an opportunity to be a closer on the White Sox in the short term, something that might not be available to him with most contenders as a current free agent. The White Sox have injury concerns with two potential potential closers, Nate Jones and prospect Zack Burdi in 2018. Burdi would also require some additional seasoning at AAA once he completes his TJ surgery rehab late in the 2018 season. Meanwhile, Reed could continue to build his stock in the closer role he recently claimed with the Mets.
Reed was the White Sox closer in his first two MLB season and could always be flipped if another young pitcher like Burdi or Carson Fulmer is deemed ready to assume the same role at some point down the road. The White Sox figure to have plenty of payroll space available in the next few years and Reed might prove to be a good investment as an immediate contributor and future pawn in a trade.
As White Sox fans know, Reed also throws strikes. He could provide a positive veteran presence for the young prospects who will be promoted in the coming years.
4 yr/36 mil is what Reed is projected to get, so once again I’ll pass. I’d simply wait til 2019 and target Kimbrel, Cody Allen or even take a flier on Britton.
Reed would 100% be the closer in Chicago. With the market for relievers how it is now I don’t think he’d be hard to move down the line especially if all your looking for is salary relief. Come July a lot of teams need an Addison Reed, as we’ve seen.
We’re already making the close-n-flip move with Soria, why pay Reed?
The Sox are rebuilding but are still be a team to respect in the process. Always been my favorite American League team. One trade that would highly benefit them would be to trade Abreau to the Cardinals for 2 of their proven major league ready pitchers, highly touted catcher prospect Carson Kelley and rookie first baseman/outfielder Martinez. Those trade pieces would be fantastic building block for the White Sox. Abreau would give the Cardinals that extra pure hitter and an upgrade on Defense at first base. No matter what his fielding percentages might be. The players from the Cardinals are all good prospects who have already had good games at the Major league level. Plus, they are all expendable because there are other prospect in the Cardinals organization who are about a year or 2 away from the level of the players they’d be trading away. Seems like a win-win situation for both teams. Realistically it probably won’t happen. Sure seems as a good fit.
I would make that trade if I were Hahn. I love Abreu for his leadership and power but multiple elite prospects are more valuable for the rebuild. I have a feeling your package is what the Sox are asking for and the Cardinals balked.
To add Miguel Gonzalez to the 40 man roster I would either remove Dylan Covey or Jacob May. Either one should pass through waivers.
Good call. The updated article notes that the White Sox did indeed DFA CF Jacob May to accommodate Miguel Gonzalez on their 40-man roster and he does figure to clear waivers in the next few days if he isn’t a component in a potential trade.
He averages 24 starts a season and has a career ERA 3.70 in all 5 AL East parks in 470 career Innings. Why the orioles cut him and subsequently refused (or made a pathetic attempt) to reacquire him is beyond me. Yes he has lots of flaws, but he is clearly better than Ubaldo/Miley/Wright/Wilson/and any of the other starters not named TIllman/Bundy/Gausman. Either Buck doesnt like him or they got pennywise and pound foolish, They spent all 4 years of Ubaldo and 1.5 years of Miley trying to not look like fools for those acquisitions, to end up looking even more silly.
They didn’t extend his contract a few years ago. And I’m pretty sure they were better off on pitching when they let him go. But soon after their rotation crashed and burned.
And he was coming off a bad season.
It was a bad season but he still outpitched Tillman. If I remember correctly he was tendered a contract and was going to earn around 5 mil, but they released him in ST to save like 80% on that contract. They let him go before Bundy came into the picture as a starter, there was a 3 man competition between him/Wright/Wilson. They chose wrong IMO.
He did not out pitch tillman. They had virtually the same ERA but Tillman threw 30 more innings. Gonzo got creamed that spring training as well. It was something like a 9 ERA if I remember correctly. In hindsight, it was a bad decision but not completely ridiculous at the time. We had just brought in Gallardo, Miley wasn’t on the team back then so he really has nothing to do with Gonzo. Gonzalez has always been a guy who has surprised me with his ability to pitch relatively well despite his limited arsenal. I thought the league had caught up to him after his rough season and horrible spring training myself.
It was definitely a cheap move and a bad one in hindsight. I can see why it was done then though. Probably should’ve given a little more rope to a guy who had been a successful pitcher in Camden Yards for 3/4 seasons.
Good signing, money isn’t an issue. Another solid first half and they can flip him at the deadline again.
Rick Hahn gonna own the Cubs Convention this week because he signed someone.
(sarcasm)
An innings eater that will take the pressure off by not bringing up the young arms before they are so called ready
Hahn grew up a cubbies fan. However at this point I don’t think he gives a fig about how Sox signings affect cubdumb
I’m thinking we still need to sign another reclamation project for the rotation, someone who will compete with Fulmer in ST for 5th starter, and to add depth which will surely be needed at some point. Two rookies in the rotation is enough, and Fulmer could use time in AAA to work on another pitch.
Fulmer’s best suited to the bullpen anyway. I wouldn’t mind another cheap make-good deal that they could flip.
Two more rotation possibilities for BAL come off the board today in Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson. I know the O’s are “talking to” Andrew Cashner, but their options are fewer with each passing day. Need 3 SPs, but to date have acquired none.
I enjoyed watxhing M.G. pitch for us. Glad to have him back. Shields acquisition has to be Hahn’s worst. If our young arms are ready i hate the idea of ” Big Dame” blocking any of them in the rotation. Work your magic Genghis and flip him for a ham n cheese sandwich please. He got rocked as a Royal in the playoffs. IMO Hahn’s gonna extend Jose, keep Avi see if he can build on 2017. ChiSox to contend in a very weak division in 2019 & Series aspirations in 2020. Jerry’s getting up there in age lacks patience for this to be any more than a 3 yr rebuild & badly wants another W.s. championship b4 he goes. We will see if he’ll be in on a Machado or Harper next yr. I would rather see Genghis swing a deal for Arenado & Blackmon instead though. Arenado for sure go get him Rick
Another solid signing by Hahn.
I’ll never understand the consistent under valuation of Carson Fulmer by many of the fans on this board. From a “pure stuff”standpoint he ranks with many of our top pitching prospects. He also seems to have that intangible uber competitive attitude. I see him as a key starter for the Chisox not a bullpen piece. If you watched his last 3-4 starts closely, his velocity, secondary pitches and command are impressive. Let’s see how he does in 2018 and in the end it may be Lopez going to the bullpen..
I like Fulmer but I don’t think he will be consistent enough to be anything more than a no.4 starter. That being said he could be a lights out closer which is more valuable IMO. I think it’s good he’s getting a chance to start the year in the rotation so we can really see what he can do.
Well lets see. Fulmer’s 5+ ERA in the minors and his 5 walks per 9 average probably have something to do with the distaste.
If every pitcher who struggled early in his professional career was relegated to the bullpen, few would ever start. I am just saying his collegiate record and his skill level suggests he should get his chance at starting which is obviously what they plan to do. He is a number one draft choice for gosh sakes. I wouldn’t think the Sox talent evaluators viewed him as a future reliever…
Good signing which will help the entire Sox pitching staff. Gonzalez is a competitor who should chew up lots of innings. Most of our young staff is a work in progress so 33 year-old Gonzalez has an opportunity to lead by example.
I thought the Orioles would have signed him, but I guess he’s too young. Hey is Brian Matusz still playing ball?
Duquette was recently spotted kicking the tires on some used pitching machines at Play It Again Sports. Gotta fill those rotation spots with affordable “arms” ya know.
i bet they flip him at the deadline again for more prospects
“Prospects” or long shots is more like it. He’ll eat innings and then they can dump him again if they see it fit to save a couple bucks.