White Sox fill rotation spot with reported signing of Gonzalez

One down, one to go.

The White Sox headed into the off-season looking to add two starting pitchers and they reportedly got one on Thursday - Gio Gonzalez.

If the name sounds familiar, it should.

Gonzalez was the Sox's first-round draft choice in 2004 (No. 38 overall), but he was traded with Aaron Rowand to the Phillies for Jim Thome a year later.

In 2006, Philadelphia traded Gonzalez back to the White Sox with Gavin Floyd in the Freddy Garcia deal.

Before the 2008 season, the Sox flipped Gonzalez to the Athletics as part of a trade package for Nick Swisher.

Now 34, Gonzalez has never pitched for the White Sox, but that is very likely to change next season as he joins the starting five.

Lucas Giolito and Dylan Cease are set in the 2020 rotation and Michael Kopech is due back after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Reynaldo Lopez is also in the mix, but he's coming off a disappointing season and had the second-highest ERA (5.38) in the major leagues.

"As we sit here right now, we continue to remain very bullish on Reynaldo Lopez in the rotation," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said at the end of last season. "He's got the stuff, he's got the ability. We just need to see more consistency. He's still a young kid, and there's still going to be development at the big league level. We've talked about this for years, that unfortunately it's not always linear.

"Sometimes these guys don't climb progressively with each and every start or each and every month. There's setbacks and there needs to be adjustments, not just from the mechanical side, which is probably what plagued Lopey more than anything in the first half, but sometimes from the approach and preparation side."

Gonzalez signed with the Yankees last March and opened the season with Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The left-hander opted out of the deal after making 3 minor league starts and signed with the Brewers in late April.

In 19 games with Milwaukee (17 starts), Gonzalez was 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA.

Over a 12-year career with the A's, Nationals and Brewers, the two-time All-Star is 130-99 with a 3.68 ERA.

The White Sox won't announce the contract until Gonzalez passes a physical, but they are still believed to be looking to add a bigger name starting pitcher on a much larger deal.

The Sox offered Zack Wheeler a five-year contract for over $120 million in early December, but the free agent took a little less money and signed with the Phillies.

Dallas Keuchel and Hyun-Jin Ryu are still on the market and either would be a solid fit with the White Sox. The problem is as many as 10 other teams are also looking for rotation help.

The Sox on Thursday did announce they agreed to a minor league contract with Cheslor Cuthbert. He gets an invite to spring training.

Last season, the first/third baseman hit .246/.296/.379 with 9 home runs and 40 RBI in 87 games with the Royals.

Over parts of five seasons with Kansas City, Cuthbert slashed .250/.300/.378 with 27 homers and 119 RBI in 322 games.