The White Sox continue to shore up the roster for a 2016 fight.
The White Sox have officially added free agent righty Mat Latos to a one-year, $3 million deal. It’s a straight guaranteed deal with no incentives or options.
Latos had his best year with the Reds in 2014, going 14-7, 3.16 ERA.. But in 2015 he kicked around to three teams and had a poor 4-10 record, 4.95 ERA, average 1.305 WHIP but a negative 0.5 WAR. There are reports that Latos has become a clubhouse issue.
For the White Sox, it is a cheap alternative to shore up the back of the rotation. Chris Sale, Joe Quintana and Carlos Rodon are the top three starters. After that, Erik Johnson and John Danks are penciled in at #4 and # 5. Carson Palmer and Spencer Adams, the #2 and #3 prospects in the organization, appear to start the season in AAA Charlotte but probably will make the team sometime in 2016.
Latos, 28, can give you 30 starts. He is right hander on a staff dominated by lefties. He is a cheap option for a fifth starter.
It really puts Danks White Sox career on the end platform. In 2015, he went 7-15, 4.71 ERA, 1.413 WHIP. Danks, 30, is owed $15.7 million in the last year of his contract. Danks has been underperforming since signing his big deal contract.
GM Hahn is giving lame duck manager Robin Ventura more tools to try to win now.
