Chicago White Sox sign Dallas Keuchel to 3 year, $55.5 million deal
By John Buhler
The Chicago White Sox have signed veteran left-handed starter Dallas Keuchel to a three-year deal, showing signs Chicago really wants to compete in 2020.
It’s been over a decade since the Chicago White Sox qualified for the AL postseason. That being said, many people feel that the South Siders are poised to be pushing for a playoff berth in 2020. They’ve quietly built a solid team the right way the last few years and just added a great pitcher to help solidify their rotation in the form of the crafty lefthander Dallas Keuchel.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the White Sox have agreed to a deal. The MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported that it was a three-year deal worth $55.5 million. There is a fourth-year option that could make the deal go up to $74 million through the 2023 MLB season.
Passan would go on to point out that while Keuchel may not be the ace pitcher he once was, he is certainly capable of eating up some innings in the White Sox rotation. He will take some of the pressure off the Chicago bullpen with his ability to pitch deep into ballgames, as well as serve as a mentor to some degree for White Sox ace Lucas Gioloto on how to go from good to great.
BREAKING: Left-hander Dallas Keuchel and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a deal, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2019
Even if Dallas Keuchel isn’t what he once was, he’s the exact sort of innings eater the White Sox needed. Lucas Giolito could take the leap this year, Dylan Cease has frontline potential, Michael Kopech is back from TJ and Reynaldo Lopez is a suitable back-end guy. That’ll play.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2019
The Keuchel deal with the White Sox, as @JonHeyman said, is for three years and $55.5 million. It includes a vesting fourth-year option that can take it to $74 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 22, 2019
Keuchel spent most of the 2019 MLB season as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He made 19 starts for the NL East champions, going 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA and pitched in 112.2 innings. Before arriving in Atlanta on a one-year deal, Keuchel made a name for himself as a member of the Houston Astros.
Keuchel pitched in Houston for seven seasons (2012-17), where he made two AL All-Star rosters, won the 2015 AL Cy Young and won the 2017 World Series. He boasts a career 84-71 record with a 3.67 ERA and 1,036 strikeouts. Keuchel will first play on this new White Sox contract in his age-32 season. He will be under contract through age-34 and possibly age-35 with the 2023 option.
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Overall, Chicago can count on Keuchel to serve as a No. 3 or No. 4 pitcher in the White Sox’s rotation, give them a quality start after another and give this pitching staff the veteran leadership it’ll need to get over the top. It may be a tad pricey for a pitcher past his prime, but Chicago is bound to get at least a few good years out of him before he loses his effectiveness.