AP: White Sox, Keuchel agree to $55.5M, 3-year deal
The Chicago White Sox and left-hander Dallas Keuchel have agreed to a $55.5 million, threeyear deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday night because the agreement had not been announced. Keuchel’s deal includes a vesting option for 2023 that would bring the total value to $74 million. The 31-year- old Keuchel won the AL Cy Young Award with the Houston Astros in 2015 but struggled to find work last offseason as a free agent. He signed a roughly $13 million, one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves in June and went 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA for the NL East champions. The long-bearded veteran joins catcher Yasmani Grandal as a bigmoney addition to the White Sox this offseason. Grandal signed a
$73 million, four-year contract with Chicago last month.
The White Sox also brought back slugger Jose Abreu on a $50 million, three-year deal, acquired outfielder Nomar Mazara from the Texas Rangers and added lefty starter Gio Gonzalez on a $5 million, one-year contract that includes a 2021 option.
Keuchel and Gonzalez will join a rotation led by All-Star Lucas Giolito that also includes Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease. Promising young righthander Michael Kopech is also expected to return following Tommy John surgery.
Chicago is hoping to
challenge in the AL Central behind a young core of hitters, including Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez. Top prospect Nick Madrigal might also be ready to get significant time at second base. The White Sox were 72-89 last season, well behind the 101-win Minnesota Twins and 93-win Cleveland Indians.
Agent Scott Boras negotiated the deal for Keuchel and has earned his players $936.5 million in contracts this offseason, including a $ 324 million, nine-year deal between Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees and $245 million, sevenyear deals for Stephen Strasburg with the Washington Nationals and Anthony Rendon with the Los Angeles Angels. Boras is expected to clear the $1 billion mark this winter.