Source: Sox sign reliever Graveman
The White Sox have made their first significant move of the offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $24 million deal with right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman, a source confirmed Tuesday.
The Sox aren’t expected to announce the deal until after the Thanksgiving holiday.
With right-hander Michael Kopech moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, right-hander Ryan Tepera a free agent and righty Craig Kimbrel likely moving out via trade, Graveman, 30, fills a need at the back of the bullpen. He’s coming off his best season and was one of the top relievers on the free-agent market after he posted a 1.77 ERA and 0.982 WHIP over 56 innings with the Mariners and Astros.
In 30 games with the Mariners, Graveman posted a 0.82 ERA with 10 saves, allowing just 26 baserunners over 33 innings. On July 27, he was part of a four-player trade that sent him to Houston, where he pitched to a 3.13 ERA over 23 regular-season games. In nine postseason appearances with the Astros, he gave up two earned runs and seven hits over 11 innings.
A ground-ball pitcher for his first six major-league seasons — four of them with the Athletics — Graveman hiked his average fastball velocity to 96.2 mph this season, an increase of 2 mph, and raised his strikeout rate to 9.8 per nine innings after averaging 7.2 in 2020.
The defending American League Central champion Sox now have Graveman, lefthander Aaron Bummer and closer Liam Hendriks at the back of their bullpen. Hendriks was named AL Reliever of the Year for the second season in a row.
Kimbrel is an eight-time All-Star who struggled away from his customary closer role after the Sox acquired him in a tradedeadline deal with the Cubs for Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer. The Sox picked up his $16 million option for 2022, but general manager Rick Hahn said trading him this offseason is a possibility. The Graveman signing further increases that likelihood.
Graveman, a starter at the time, signed a contract with the Cubs after the 2018 season but did not pitch in the majors in 2019 as he was rehabbing after Tommy John surgery.