White Sox agree to terms with five players, avoiding arbitration
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on one-year contracts with infielder Todd Frazier ($12 million), right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez ($5.9 million), left-hander Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), right-hander Jake Petricka ($825,000) and right-hander Zach Putnam ($1,117,500), avoiding arbitration with all five players
The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on one-year contracts with infielder Todd Frazier ($12 million), right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez ($5.9 million), left-hander Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), right-hander Jake Petricka ($825,000) and right-hander Zach Putnam ($1,117,500), avoiding arbitration with all five players
Frazier, 30, hit .225 (133-590) with 21 doubles, 40 home runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs scored and a .464 slugging percentage in his first season with the White Sox after being acquired in a three-team trade with Cincinnati and Los Angeles-NL on December 15, 2015. Frazier, who ranked sixth in the American League in home runs last season, established a club record for homers by a third baseman and won the MLB Players Alumni Association Heart and Hustle Award. He is a career .250 hitter (719-2,871) with 146 doubles, 11 triples, 148 home runs, 422 RBI and a .464 slugging percentage over 791 games between Cincinnati (2011-15) and Chicago (2016).
Gonzalez, 32, went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA (56 ER/135.0 IP) over 24 appearances (23 starts) last season, his first with the White Sox after signing as a free agent on April 7. He made his White Sox debut on April 25 after his contract was purchased from Class AAA Charlotte. Gonzalez owns a career 44-41 record with a 3.80 ERA (302 ER/715.1 IP) and 512 strikeouts in 125 outings (118 starts) over five major-league seasons with Baltimore (2012-15) and Chicago (2016).
Jennings, 29, went 4-3 with a 2.08 ERA (14 ER/60.2 IP), 10 holds and 46 strikeouts over a career-high 64 appearances in 2016, his second season with the White Sox. Among American League relievers, he tied for second with 11 grounded into double plays and ranked seventh in ERA. Jennings has gone 6-6 with a 3.00 ERA (39 ER/117.0 IP) and 92 strikeouts in two seasons with the Sox after being acquired from Miami in exchange for pitcher Andre Rienzo on December 10, 2014.
Petricka, 28, was limited to nine appearances in 2016 before undergoing season-ending surgery on his right hip. He owns a 3.31 ERA (56 ER/152.1 IP), 16 saves and 105 strikeouts in 154 career relief appearances over parts of four major-league seasons the White Sox (2013-16).
Putnam, 29, was limited to 25 games last season due to ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. He went 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA (7 ER/27.1 IP), 30 strikeouts and two holds before undergoing season-ending surgery on August 5. Putnam has gone 10-7 with a 3.33 ERA (53 ER/143.1 IP), six saves, 24 holds and 153 strikeouts in 138 relief appearances over six major-league seasons with Cleveland (2011), Colorado (2012), the Cubs (2013) and the White Sox (2014-16).
Following the signings, the White Sox have no remaining arbitration-eligible players.