Rodón to become free agent
Sox decline to give All-Star pitcher qualifying offer
The Chicago White Sox did not extend a qualifying offer to freeagent pitcher Carlos Rodón, the team confirmed Sunday.
Players receiving the qualifying offer have the option of accepting the one-year deal, reportedly for $18.4 million, or declining, with draft pick compensation coming into play. Decisions for those players are due by Nov. 17.
Non-tendered by the Sox in December, Rodón returned to the team in February on a one-year contract and had a breakthrough season.
His 2.37 ERA was the lowest by a Sox pitcher with at least 130 innings since Chris Sale’s 2.17 ERA in 2014. Rodónwent13-5with185strikeouts in 132⅔ innings, pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland in April and earned his first All-Star selection.
Arm fatigue and soreness became an issue down the stretch, but he did reach 99 mph during his start in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros.
Without tipping his hand about which direction the Sox were leaning, general manager Rick Hahn praised Rodon’s season during a conference call with reporters Friday, saying “it would be great to figure out a way to bring him back in some capacity.”
“Obviously this isn’t our first foray into free agency with Carlos,” Hahn said. “We had a similar situations at least in terms of his rights last offseason, when we had an interest in bringing him back and (were) able to work it out then as well. We’ll see how the market unfolds. He’s coming from a much better position, which we all benefited from over the course of the ‘21 season.
“And on a personal level, it was great to see a kid who had been through a lot and had a lot of adversity fulfill the promise our scouts and player development all saw from him back when we drafted him out of N.C. State. From that standpoint, it’s a bittersweet day.”