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White Sox Sign Brad Keller To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | March 8, 2024 at 12:14pm CDT

The White Sox announced that they have signed right-hander Brad Keller to a minor league deal. The Excel Sports Management client also receives an invite to major league Spring Training.

The 28-year-old Keller became a free agent for the first time following the 2023 season but didn’t hit the market at a particularly advantageous time. His 2023 season was cut to just 45 1/3 innings due to a shoulder injury and, eventually, a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome. TOS is a particularly difficult issue for pitchers to return from, but it’s notable that there was never an announcement that Keller underwent surgery to correct the issue. If he indeed avoided going under the knife and was able to deal with his symptoms via rest and rehab, that could portend a more optimistic outlook than the common TOS surgery that has derailed many pitching careers.

From 2018-20, Keller logged a 3.50 ERA in Kansas City, going from a long reliever whom the team selected out of the D-backs organization in the Rule 5 Draft to an entrenched member of the Royals rotation. His 2021-23 seasons went in the opposite direction.

Dating back to Opening Day 2021, Keller carries a 5.14 ERA in 318 2/3 innings. His once-strong walk rate has climbed to an untenable 11.5% — including a ghastly 21.3% clip in 2023 while he navigated that shoulder injury and the perhaps related TOS symptoms. Keller limited opponents to a 4.5% barrel rate and 35.7% hard-hit rate through his first three seasons but has seen those marks leap to 8.4% and 42%, respectively, over the past three years. He’s lost about a mile per hour off his fastball as well.

Keller tried to revamp his repertoire in 2023, ditching his four-seamer and scarcely using his sinker while instead deploying a trio of new pitches: cutter, splitter, curveball. That mix didn’t work out, though it’s hard to glean just how effective those pitches may or may not truly be, given the health troubles that were plaguing him. Keller has long had a plus slider, although that pitch’s efficacy took a step back over the past two seasons as well, particularly in 2023 due to an inability to locate the offering.

Suffice it to say, Keller is a project for the White Sox organization. There’s little harm in taking a look on a minor league pact, but it’s been three years and one particularly ominous injury since he was last an effective big league hurler. He’s not likely to break camp with the club but could join veterans like Chad Kuhl and Jake Woodford as an experienced right-handed depth starter to begin the season in Triple-A Charlotte.

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Chicago White Sox Transactions Brad Keller

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60 Comments

  1. hiflew

    1 year ago

    All he could get is a minor league deal? This is a world where pre-injury Lucas Giolito got $20 MM a year. Keller is as good as peak Giolito, but you’d think he’d at least be worth a $5MM a year flyer. The guy has been a serviceable MLB starter for several years now and is still just 28.

    2
    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      Your not wrong.

      Reply
    • Why

      1 year ago

      Guy hasn’t been any good in 3 years. Got thrown in the bullpen end of 22 and then got hurt. He’s supposed to be in his prime years but hasn’t shown it. Its pretty simple on this one

      1
      Reply
      • Aiden Awe

        1 year ago

        Royals worst hole is pitching. White Sox can turn garbage pitchers into decent/average most of the time. They also have a good track record on bounce back candidates.

        1
        Reply
      • For Love of the Game

        1 year ago

        Too many walks and hits, too few Ks. Not a good combo. And that’s in his prime.

        Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Bannister can fix him:)

          Reply
        • Dogbone

          1 year ago

          Aiden, are you really Hawkeroo or the Stone Pony??? Your bs, err, optimism, sounds just like them.

          Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Im neither of them. Im just saying that Brian Bannister can fix random pitchers. He’s also the same guy who turned Michael Kopech into a top prospect when he was with the Red Sox.

          1
          Reply
        • ChiSoxCity

          1 year ago

          Dogbone is just a jealous Cvbs troll. Ignore him.

          2
          Reply
    • NYCityRiddler

      1 year ago

      The white Sox are a minor league deal. Ahahaha!

      Reply
      • ChiSoxCity

        1 year ago

        NYC baseball sucks.

        1
        Reply
  2. bigun

    1 year ago

    Pretty sure he was hurt last year.

    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      Yeah he only pitched in 9 games.

      Reply
  3. Doug S

    1 year ago

    Golly gee, another ex-Royal.. Imagine that.

    3
    Reply
  4. Brick House Coffee Tables Inc

    1 year ago

    Another ex-Royal but this one actually makes sense. Let him get ready in whatever they call Extended Spring Training and bring him up in mid-May. Even on a stretched out rotation, he can get 8 or 9 starts before the trade deadline to show that he has recovered.

    1
    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      I rather see him starting over Kopech tbh.

      1
      Reply
      • DeepDownSouth

        1 year ago

        Huh? Really?

        Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Shockingly yes.

          Reply
      • ChiSoxCity

        1 year ago

        Kopech should retire.

        Reply
  5. cwsOverhaul

    1 year ago

    WSox are going to have a couple starters by law of averages be a decent trade deadline shopping spot such as:
    Kopech putting things together, maybe Fedde did figure out something in Korea, time helps Soroka regain past form, reclamation guy like Keller or Flexen.
    Pitching on a team with no expectations can help them muster whatever they may have with old man Maldonado’s assistance.

    2
    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      Only trade the ones that can at least give them a top prospect(I hope 2B/OF) since Sox need 2B badly. White Sox can turn garbage pitchers into decent/average and have a good track record on bounce back candidates.

      Reply
      • NoNeckWilliams

        1 year ago

        How about Colas for Massey?

        Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          That would be a bad trade.

          Reply
    • DeepDownSouth

      1 year ago

      My prediction is that either or both Maldonado or Stassi will go down with injuries allowing Korie Lee & Quero to become the full-time starting catchers on different days. Also believe in a year or two both will be productive hitters, both have very good to serious pop with Lee having better pop & Quero being a better contact hitter with some pop. I predict my ChiSox to improve by 10-15 games in win column, yes …..but I’m just a believer in them

      1
      Reply
      • Yoyosoxsox

        1 year ago

        I don’t think things are as bad as they once looked. They did alot to the farm since all star last year and we got the 5th pick this year. I gonna watch either way but at least there is something there.

        1
        Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Your right about the farm system. Went from bad from not terrible. Unfortunately, Sox can’t draft nor develop anything except for random/unpredictable studs. They have the same issue as the Pirates but are even worse in this regard.

          Reply
      • Aiden Awe

        1 year ago

        Same. I predict 66 wins. It wouldn’t be mind blowing for the Sox to win 64-67 range. Don’t rush Quero though. Lee needs more AAA time but your correct on the pop time though. White Sox come into the 2024 season with the most improved farm system(from 26th to 18th as of rn).

        Reply
        • PutPeteinthehall

          1 year ago

          I see more wins but do not like what they did with middle infield and the Maldonado signing. Three certain outs in the lineup. Improved defense in an offensive league. Still have a team that can win more than you believe if there is effort. There was almost zero last year. Three players that were not pitchers hustled. Remilard, Robert, and Andrus. Grifol is a terrible manager. There should be good seasons from the outfield, DH, and infield corners with a mostly unproven but most likely better pitching corps. Royals and Guards will be behind them this season. Thinking third place with a closer to .500 season.

          1
          Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Will also admit I wasn’t a fan of the Dejong and Maldonaldo signing. I do see the Sox battling with the Guards for the basement.

          Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Your right that Grifol is a bad manager, but he can vastly improve as a manager.

          Reply
        • nrd1138

          1 year ago

          PutPete…: Great assessment. With Francona gone, I think some of that Guardians ‘magic’ of ‘being good, even when on paper, they stink’ is gone. Francona was a great manager and I wish the White Sox would have had brought him in in the 90’s instead of the ummm.. ahem.. ‘expertise’ of Bevington.

          Reply
  6. whitesox2112

    1 year ago

    Chicago Royals strike again lol

    2
    Reply
  7. User 2161944466

    1 year ago

    The White Sox are the perfect fit for the Trevor Bauer sweepstakes.

    2
    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      Yes but sir Getz won’t sign clubhouse cancers. I rather see him starting over Kopech. But then again his past hit him like a truck.

      Reply
    • DeepDownSouth

      1 year ago

      Bauer will never pitch in MLB again, but like him on Sox. Never was convicted of anything but having a bad relationship. If every person in baseball/sports was convicted of everything a spouse accused them of, then sports would be in dire lack the the best players available. Just bc someone is accused by their accuser doesn’t mean they automatically guilty. Courtrooms are used to settle that not fans or reporters

      Reply
      • Aiden Awe

        1 year ago

        Trevor was blackmailed my MLB.

        Reply
        • Chicken In Philly?

          1 year ago

          His own former teammates don’t want Bauer on their teams. All it should take it a player or two advocating for their team to sign him, but it’s silence for a reason. The guy is a complete jerk.

          Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Minus Mookie Betts. Trevor has been polarizing figure the last few years.

          Reply
    • Yoyosoxsox

      1 year ago

      I 100% agree. People are going to say cancer but he will be a church mouse because he wants to stay. I would sign him and Clev trade dylan because he is gone no matter what. They would be happy to play together and would be on their best. If they are not, drop them. Easy. Put some of the younger arms in the pen and they could stick in central.

      Reply
    • stymeedone

      1 year ago

      And here they had worked hard to get the clubhouse cancers OFF the team, and you want to put one right back on it.

      Reply
    • nrd1138

      1 year ago

      The guy has too much baggage.. guilty or not. Ill give Reinsdorf that much,he does to like distractions on the roster.

      Reply
  8. bmann300

    1 year ago

    Sing it Loud! Here come the Southside Royals!!!

    1
    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      I rather want the Chicago Royals or KC White Sox tbh.

      1
      Reply
      • DeepDownSouth

        1 year ago

        Now. Chicago White Sox is fine by me. White Sox fanbase are only real fans when they are winning and mostly whining crybabies when not, and mostly critical of FO when it’s the players job mostly to perform better to win.

        Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Couldn’t say it any better.

          Reply
        • nrd1138

          1 year ago

          Wow, is that you Kenny?

          No, real ‘fans’ know when the teams sucks, to call it out to hold the ownership accountable. Not like fanboys mindlessly going ‘wait until next year’ while handing owner money for a poor product.

          3
          Reply
        • Aiden Awe

          1 year ago

          Im not Kenny lol.

          Reply
  9. IronBallsMcGinty

    1 year ago

    Brad probably figured it’ll be alright since Tim Anderson isn’t on the team anymore.

    Reply
  10. Mistake

    1 year ago

    Even though Anderson isn’t in Chicago anymore, if Keller makes the major league roster he should be booed by Sox fans for throwing at Tim.

    1
    Reply
    • nrd1138

      1 year ago

      wah wah wah.. TIm is gone, Keller was not the ‘enemy’.. He was wrong in thinking Tim was showing him or the Royals up, Anderson was clearly trying to jazz up the Sox.. In any case, he is a White Sox pitcher now, he either performs for them, or doesn’t.

      1
      Reply
      • Aiden Awe

        1 year ago

        Yep.

        Reply
  11. Jump 84

    1 year ago

    Sell the team.

    1
    Reply
  12. forsterftog

    1 year ago

    I thought he was about 35.

    Reply
    • Aiden Awe

      1 year ago

      No he’s 28 years old.

      Reply
  13. Augusto Barojas

    1 year ago

    Career Royal with 0.2 cumulative WAR since 2020. You can’t make this stuff up. LOL!!

    Reply
  14. seanocoileain

    1 year ago

    It’s not Snell, but he is from Snellville, GA.

    Reply
  15. MLBTR needs to hire editors

    1 year ago

    “His 2023 season was cut to just 45 1/3 innings due to a shoulder injury and, eventually, a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome.”

    This is poorly written because the comma usage is incorrect. There should not be two around eventually. The sentence either should have no commas or one before “and.” Stop overusing commas.

    Reply
    • slidingintobase

      1 year ago

      They really should invest in editors or writing classes. Far too much unnecessary verbiage in most of these articles. To the point they are difficult to even sift through.

      1
      Reply
      • MLBTR needs to hire editors

        1 year ago

        Seriously! Everything is so wordy for no real reason. Concision is even more important when writing the news.

        Reply
  16. Atlanta Jack

    1 year ago

    Jerry, after 3 weeks we have the worst record in baseball. Thanks!!

    1
    Reply

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