White Sox have checkbook open
Lynn to get to play for La Russa; team also signs free agent Eaton
Lance Lynn was thrilled to join a team eyeing a World Series run and to reunite with the manager who led him to a championship as a rookie.
The Chicago White Sox seemed like a perfect fit. And their new workhorse starter is ready to, well, get to work.
“In your career, you want to win,” he said. “That’s first and foremost, to have the opportunity to come to an organization that really is making the push to win and win now. And you look at the team they have. They’ve got a lot of young star power. You’re stoked to come in and help push them over the top.”
The White Sox finalized a trade for Lynn with the Texas Rangers and reunited with free agent right fielder Adam Eaton on Tuesday.
Eaton agreed to a one-year deal that guarantees him $8 million, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced. Eaton’s salary for next season is $7 million. The White Sox hold an $8.5 million option for 2022, with a $1 million buyout.
Lynn was acquired from Texas for pitchers Dane Dunning and Avery Weems. The White Sox have been busy this offseason, also hiring Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa to replace Rick Renteria.
“I think it’s pretty clear what our intentions are at this time,“general manager Rick Hahn said. “We feel the window is open and we’re now gonna be aggressive in our efforts to try to put us in our best position to win championships.”
The White Sox made the playoffs for the first time since 2008. They finished second in the AL Central at 35-25.
Chicago has a potentially dominant rotation with Lynn joining Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel at the top — particularly if Dylan Cease harnesses his control and Michael Kopech delivers on his promise after missing 2019 because of Tommy John surgery and opting out this year.
Nationals: In another round of staff cuts, the Washington Nationals laid off 18 total employees between their sales, marketing and ballpark operations on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the team. The layoffs affect the corporate partnership and ticket sales teams, among other parts of the Nationals' business operation, according to a person with knowledge of them.
Royals: Kansas City and veteran first baseman Carlos Santana have agreed to a $17 million, two-year contract.
Hank Aaron Awards: First basemen Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox have won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in each league as voted by Mlb.com. Freeman, 31, was second in the NL in batting .341, OBP (.462), slugging percentage (.640) and OPS (1.102). The 33-year-old Abreu hit .317 with 15 doubles, 19 homers and 60 RBIS during 60 games in the pandemic-shortened season.
Note: Dick Kaegel, who covered the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals and edited The Sporting News during a career of more than 53 years, has won the Hall of Fame’s J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. He will be honored during induction weekend from July 23-26 in Cooperstown. Kaegel will receive the Spink award along with the late Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe during a double ceremony on July 24. Cafardo was the 2020 Spink winner, and the 2020 inductions were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Derek Jeter and Larry Walker will be inducted July 25 along with any players chosen in this year’s voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which will be announced Jan. 26.