Right-hander Jake Woodford is signing a minor league contract with the White Sox, per a report from Robert Murray of FanSided. The Excel Sports Management client will receive an invitation to major league Spring Training.
Woodford, 27, will jump to a new organization for the first time in his career. He was drafted by the Cardinals in 2015 and was a part of that org until he was non-tendered in November of last year. He mostly worked in a swing role in the big leagues and had some decent seasons. Over 2021 and 2022, he tossed 116 innings with a 3.26 earned run average. His 15.4% strikeout rate in that time was well below league average but he kept his walks down to a 7.5% clip and got grounders on 45.8% of balls in play.
Unfortunately, things went off the rails in 2023, as he posted a 6.23 ERA in 47 2/3 innings, as his strikeout rate fell even farther to 13.1% and his walk rate ticked up to 9.9%. Despite his ground ball tendencies, he also allowed 11 home runs in that small sample of work. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting Woodford for a salary of $1.1MM, just a bit north of next year’s $740K minimum. But the Cards instead decided to move on, non-tendering him in November.
For the Sox, they have plenty of questions on their pitching staff. Dylan Cease projects as the ace but many around the industry expect him to be traded. General manager Chris Getz recently said the club plans to stretch out Garrett Crochet, but he’s thrown just 73 major league innings over the past four years. Erick Fedde should have a role after a strong KBO season but his work in the majors was shaky prior to that. Michael Kopech and Touki Toussaint both have significant control issues. Michael Soroka didn’t fully bounceback in 2023 after a lengthy injury absence. Chris Flexen is coming off a really rough campaign.
In the bullpen, Kendall Graveman, Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer, Keynan Middleton and Joe Kelly have all been traded in the past six months, and Crochet is another subtraction by virtue of moving into a starting role. In short, there should be plenty of innings available for Woodford if he’s able to put his 2023 season behind him and get back into good form. If he’s added onto the roster, he is out of options but could be retained beyond this season via arbitration.
Woodford was passed over for years by other pitchers with lesser resumes. He finally got a legit shot in 2023 and didn’t succeed but there is a chance he can become a back end starter. Going to the White Sox could be great for his career.
Even if winds up being a reliever, where he has shown success in the past, that’s a big win. He doesn’t strike guys out a ton, but he keeps the ball down, which is especially crucial when pitching at The Rate.
The lack of strikeouts is why he had a lack of opportunities for sure. Yeah he could pitch in relief too but there is back of the rotation upside here. He has talent never really got a fair shot until 2023.
Was always effective when used on a limited basis. Maybe a smaller role suits him.
It is possible.
Guys with good stuff get opportunity after opportinity and teams are waiting for them to succeed. Guys with stuff like him teams are waiting for them to fail. I think he’s in a great place to get a fair shot so good for him.
He gives the team options and this team…will desperately need them.
The White Sox are changing their logo for 2024. It will be a bouncing ball shown over the heads of these rejects as they’re shown on the OF screen. Instead of getting prospects, Getz is filling the roster with guys who used to be not terrible, but in 2023, they were horrible. When our lovable excuse for a GM isn’t walking into walls or striking out at the water cooler, a little bell rings, telling him another absolute failure has been cut loose by teams that knows better. That’s when our little, clueless GM pounces because he knows Uncle jet will be patting him on the head for yet another job well done as Chrissy eats his dinner from a bowl with his name on it under the table where his master eats.
Yep, can’t have a Sox thread until you’ve gone on a negative rant. Keep spreading that misery around, homie.
Maybe they should make you their GM since you obviously know more than Get does.
Avenger must be fun at parties
Not overpowering stuff but good control and looked solid at times. Never seemed to get out of Marmol’s doghouse for some reason. Was not good in 23 but neither was anyone else on the team. Surprised when he got DFA’d. They certainly have kept worse pitchers for longer. Good luck Jake!!
Where is ‘dumpster divin Theo’ to comment on this signing?
Good luck Sox. Woodford doesn’t really have great stuff.
The season is shot already. Sox just need warm bodies, preferably ones that at least have a shot at rebounding into trade candidates.
The Cardinals had no place for him in the minors. They have many more promising prospects at Memphis.
I think he was out of options,
I think you could flip a coin between Pallante and Woodford. Maybe they did…..
For some reason Pallante is seen as the Golden Child by the organization. He throws harder than Jake, that’s about it.
I hope Jake finds success. I’m not sure the White Sox are the best spot for a guy who needs help from his defense, but they seem to be trying to improve in that area. He is no Verlander, but he’s better than the Cardinals treated him. He was, at least in part, hurt by whatever underlying factors destroyed the rest of the Cardinals staff last season.
Best of luck in ’24 Jake Woodford.
Wait a minute. This isn’t a Royal’s cast off.
Both in Missouri.
Did anybody buy a ticket to see a game yet? What’s the lowest attendance in Sox history? That’s the only record they can break this year. Thanks Mr. Reinsdorf.
I hope Jake can regain his confidence and find some help to further develop his skill set elsewhere. It would demonstrate once again that the Cardinals need help developing young pitching but that ship has sailed.
Dumpster divin’ Chris.
Signing Jake for a backup role, that would make Woodford Reserve. Smooth.
I like where your head is at. Everytime he’d come in I would call him Jake Woodford Reserve.
If he any good they can send him to Atlanta for 5 more players
The White Sox got a good deal on Woodford.
He never got a fair chance with the Cardinals.
Besides the change in scenery—- The Cardinals pitching development program and their current Pitching coaches on the big club rank in the bottom of the National league.
The same goes for whatever team gets or got Dakota Hudson. They will both prove out to be durable and dependable pitchers!! Just wait and see.
He had moments when he looked very solid. A good time for a change of scenery and the possibility to pitch without looking over your shoulder for someone waiting for you to make a mistake.