Closest free agent Liam Hendriks and the Chicago White Sox agree on a multi-year deal, pending a physical examination, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The deal is for three years and includes an option for a room and guarantees Hendriks $ 54 million, the sources said.
Hendriks, 31, will earn $ 39 million in the first three years, and the purchase and option salary in the fourth year will be $ 15 million, the sources said. If the White Sox refuses the option, they can pay for the acquisition over several years.
Yahoo Sports first reported the deal between Hendriks and the White Sox.
Hendriks, who became a free agent last month when Oakland Athletics failed to make a qualifying offer, has been one of baseball’s most effective relievers for the past two seasons, ranking second in the ERA (1.6) and in fourth place in the WHIP (0.87), third in the strikeout rate (7.2) and tied for eighth in the defenses (39).
He ended the regular season of 2020 with an ERA of 1.78 and a second best in the MLB 14 defenses on 15 opportunities, and then recorded a win, a save and an ERA of 3.18 in the postseason.
The Australian reliever set career records with an elimination rate of 12.3 eliminations and 13.1 eliminations for nine entries last season and was the American League Reliever of the Year.
Hendriks became a key player for A’s entrepreneur Bob Melvin at the end of the games during the 2019 season. The right-hander, who won $ 2.15 million in 2019, is the former opener who has become a trusted closure . He hit 4-4 with an ERA of 1.80 and 25 saves in 75 games, the career record in 85 entries, and joined the All-Star team for the first time. He will turn 32 on February 10.
Hendriks was assigned to the mission on June 25, 2018 – he’s been through it almost half a dozen times now – and then started the 7-2 loss as Oakland’s wild card at Yankee Stadium just over three months later.
Oakland’s close received a nice boost when he signed a $ 5.3 million one-year contract ahead of the 2020 season to avoid wage arbitrage.
In 10 major league seasons with Twins, Royals, Blue Jays and A’s, he has a 19-27 record with 40 saves and 4.10 ERA.