Left-hander Carlos Rodon is returning to the White Sox on a one-year deal, sources confirmed Saturday. The $3 million deal is pending a physical, which will take place next week.
Physicals have been none too kind to Rodon in the past, but the Sox believe Rodon’s exceptional slider and mid-90s four-seam fastball are good enough to warrant another chance, specifically in 2021 to compete for a spot at the back end of a starting rotation on a championship-contending club.
Rodon, a former No. 3 overall draft pick of the Sox and their Opening Day starter in 2019, has battled shoulder and elbow injuries during his career and was limited to four games and two starts in 2020, allowing seven earned runs over 7 2⁄3 innings.
Rodon also pitched in relief of the Sox’ deciding 6-4 loss to the Athletics in Game 3 of the Wild Card, giving up two walks and a hit to the three batters he faced and was charged with two runs. Despite the ineffectiveness, his four-seamer averaged 96 mph that day, and his slider has always been elite, enough for the Sox to allow one more chance, with a fresh start under new pitching coach Ethan Katz and a new manager in Tony La Russa, to see if he can stay healthy.
If Rodon doesn’t win a starting job, he could provide added left-handed depth to their bullpen, although the newness of pitching in relief last season didn’t seem to suit him.
The Sox non-tendered Rodon in Decemeber. He projected to make $4.5 million in arbitration this season, so they saved about $1.5 by going the re-sign route.
The Sox’ top of the rotation is set with Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel and Lance Lynn, all of them top seven finishers in AL Cy Young voting last season, but iffy with Dylan Cease, Reynaldo Lopez and Rodon after that. And remember, prized flame-thrower Michael Kopech is a possibility, although he doesn’t figure to make the Opening Day roster after opting out last season and having only four major league innings on his resume, all in September of 2018 before Tommy John surgery ended his season.
Rodon had Tommy John in May 2019. His best season was his second, in 2016 when he posted a 4.04 ERA in 165 innings covering 28 starts, but his ERA grew in each successive season. After working his way back from shoulder surgery, he was named the Opening Day starter in 2019 but would make only six more starts before blowing out his elbow. Shoulder problems resurfaced in 2020.
The third overall pick in the 2014 draft, Rodon was limited to 11 games the last two seasons. He owns a career 29-33 record with a 4.14 ERA and 525 strikeouts over 536 2/3 innings.
