CHICAGO _ The White Sox are reportedly close to filling one of their pitching holes, nearing a deal with veteran Gio Gonzalez.
Baseball writer Robert Murray first reported the news.
Gonzalez went 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA in 19 outings (17 starts) with the Brewers in 2019. The left-hander struck out 78 and walked 37 in 87 1/3 innings.
Gonzalez, 34, has a 130-99 career record with a 3.68 ERA in 332 appearances (324 starts) in 12 seasons with the Athletics (2008-11), Nationals ('12-18) and Brewers ('18-19).
Gonzalez is a two-time All-Star (2011-12). He finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting in 2012 and sixth in 2017.
He could aid a young rotation that includes Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease. The search for starting pitching has been a priority this offseason for the Sox. The team has been looking to sign at least one starter, and possibly two. Michael Kopech is returning after missing all last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Carlos Rodon will be unavailable at the start of the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May.
The Sox selected Gonzalez in the first round (No. 38 overall) of the 2004 draft. They traded him to the Phillies in 2005 as part of the deal that brought Jim Thome to the Sox.
Gonzalez returned to the organization in 2006 as part of a trade that sent Freddy Garcia to the Phillies. And the Sox traded Gonzalez again in 2011, sending him to the Athletics in a deal that brought Nick Swisher to the Sox.
The Sox did make one official announcement Thursday: Infielder Cheslor Cuthbert signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.
Cuthbert, 27, spent the last five seasons with the Royals.
He had a .246/.294/.379 slash line with 14 doubles, nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 87 games in 2019. He has a .250/.300/.378 career slash line with 53 doubles, 27 home runs and 119 RBIs in 322 games.
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