Tag Archives: American League Central

Elvis Andrus Agrees to One-Year, $3 Million Contract with Chicago White Sox

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Elvis Andrus is staying in the Windy City…

The 34-year-old Venezuelan-American professional baseball player, an infielder, and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract, pending a physical, according to ESPN.

Elvis Andrus Andrus spent the final two months of the 2022 season with the White Sox, filling in for the injured Tim Anderson at shortstop. Andrus is expected to play second base with Chicago, sources said, after playing all 1,914 of his career games at shortstop.

After struggling with the Oakland Athletics over the first four months of the 2022 season, Andrus found his power stroke in Chicago, slashing .271/.309/.464 with nine home runs in 191 plate appearances. Over his 14-year career, Andrus has slashed .270/.326/.371 with 96 home runs and 335 stolen bases.

The White Sox are hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2022, when they went 81-81 and finished in second place in the American League Central division. They signed left fielder Andrew Benintendi to a five-year, $75 million deal and will move Andrew Vaughn from left field to first base, where he’ll take over for Jose Abreu, who went to Houston on a three-year, $58.5 million deal.

Chicago also signed right-hander Mike Clevinger, who is currently under investigation by the Major League Baseball for potentially violating the league’s domestic violence policy after being accused by the mother of his young daughter of throwing tobacco spit at both. Clevinger denied the accusations and threatened to sue a Chicago radio station that aired an interview with her.

Andrus joins a lineup with plenty of potential with Anderson, Benintendi, Vaughn, center fielder Luis Robert, designated hitter Eloy Jimenez and third baseman Yoan Moncada.

The White Sox’s starting rotation, which includes Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn and Michael Kopech, is expected to keep them competitive in an AL Central race with defending champion Cleveland and Minnesota, which re-signed shortstop Carlos Correa.

Carlos Rodon Signs Two-Year, $44 Million Deal with San Francisco Giants 

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Carlos Rodon is headed out west…

The 29-year-old Latino professional baseball play, an MLB All-Star left-hander, and the San Francisco Giants have agreed on a two-year, $44 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, according to ESPN sources.

Carlos RodonRodon set a career high for wins with the Chicago White Sox in 2021 in going 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA and made his first All-Star team. His 24 starts and 132⅔ innings are the most for him since 2016, well beyond his totals in the previous two years combined.

Rodon has a history of arm and shoulder injuries and threw just 28 innings over the final two months of the 2021 regular season. But he also played a big role as the White Sox ran away with the American League Central title at 93-69. They beat Cleveland by 13 games and finished with their highest win total since the 2005 World Series championship team went 99-63.

Rodon will help fill out a rotation alongside ace Logan Webb and lefty Alex Wood. The Giants lost right-hander Kevin Gausman to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this offseason on a $110 million, five-year deal and declined righty Johnny Cueto‘s $22 million contract option.

Wood received a $25 million, two-year contract to stay with San Francisco, which won a franchise-record 107 games last season before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series.

Rodon, who was the third overall selection in the 2014 first-year player draft out of North Carolina State, has a career record of 42-38 with a 3.79 ERA and 710 strikeouts in 121 games.

Sergio Romo Agrees to One-Year Deal with the Minnesota Twins

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Sergio Romo is Twinning…

The 36-year-old Mexican American professional baseball pitcher has agreed to a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, according to multiple reports.

Sergio Romo

The deal includes a club option and $5 million guaranteed with a chance to earn $10 million. MLB.comwas first to report the deal; MLB Networkwas first to report terms.

Romo was 2-1 with 20 saves and 60 strikeouts over 60⅓ innings in 65 relief appearances last season for the Miami Marlins and the Twins — who acquired him, minor league pitcher Chris Vallimontand a player to be named for minor league first baseman Lewin Diazat the July 31 trade deadline.

The veteran right-hander was acquired by Minnesota to serve as a playoff-tested performer to fortify the back end of its bullpen, and the Twins held off the Cleveland Indians to win their first American League Centraltitle since 2010.

Romo spent the first half of the year as the Marlins’ closer, racking up 17 saves to go along with a 3.58 ERA in 37⅔ innings.

Romo won three championships with the San Francisco Giants, closing out the final game of the 2012 World Series in memorable fashion when he froze Miguel Cabrera on a down-the-middle fastball. In 25⅓ career playoff innings, Romo has a 3.55 ERA.

Romo was drafted by the Giants in 2005 and worked his way up the team’s minor league system before landing in the big leagues in 2008.

Erik Gonzalez Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates 

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Erik Gonzalez is headed east…

The Cleveland Indians have traded the 27-year-old Dominican professional baseball utility player, known as a versatile infielder, to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five-player swap.

Erik Gonzalez 

Cleveland sent Gonzalez, who appeared in 81 games for the American League Central champions last season, and right-handers Tahnaj Thomas and Dante Mendoza to the Pirates for outfielder Jordan Luplow and infielder Max Moroff.

Gonzalez batted .265 with one home run and 16 RBIs last season for Cleveland, which signed him in 2009. Gonzalez filled a utility role for the Indians, but was not going to be able to get into the starting lineup behind All-Stars Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.