The Chicago White Sox reached an agreement with closest Liam Hendriks on a three-year contract with a fourth year option, league sources said on Monday. Hendriks has a $ 54 million guarantee, whether the option is chosen or not.
The deal, the largest so far in a slow off-season market, is pending a physical examination.
Hendriks, 31, had 14 saves for Oakland A’s in the short season of 2020. He has made 39 saves and an ERA of 1.79 in the past two seasons – the best ERA of any pitcher with at least 75 entries. He hit 161 hitters in 110 ⅓ innings at that time. In his last appearance for the A’s, Hendriks threw three innings of shutout towards the end of game 3 of the American League Division Series for victory.
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Perth, Australia native Hendriks, represented by Matt Hannaford of the ALIGND Sports Agency, was an All-Star for the first time in 2019, his ninth major league season, and in 2020 he was ninth in the vote for AL Cy Young.
Seeking to build up the playoff spot last season, the first since 2008, the White Sox added Hendriks six weeks after negotiating with starter Lance Lynn, 22-14 with 3.57 ERA for Texas Rangers over the past two seasons. White Sox also signed outfielder Adam Eaton.
Hendriks replaces Alex Colome, who became a free agent after two successful seasons with the White Sox. Hendriks was the best reliever available on the free agent market.
Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers shared an interest in Hendriks.
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