Mat Latos gives White Sox rotation more depth
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Glendale, Ariz., late next week, and the Chicago White Sox are already feeling good about the top of the starting rotation.
Returning ace Chris Sale led the American League with 274 strikeouts last season, Jose Quintana ranked second with 25 quality starts and Carlos Rodon ended his rookie year with a strong closing kick.
Heading into camp, Erik Johnson and John Danks are the Sox' final two starters, but there is questionable depth after that.
The White Sox added some insurance on Tuesday, signing veteran right-hander Mat Latos to a one-year, $3 million contract.
The Sox also signed 32-year-old outfielder/first baseman Travis Ishikawa to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training.
“Mat adds another quality veteran arm to our rotation and also increases our overall pitching depth, which always is essential to having a successful season,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “While we believe in the futures of several of our young starters, the chance to add a pitcher of Mat's caliber was too good of an opportunity for us to pass up. He has proven over his career that when healthy, he takes the baseball and logs quality innings.”
If he's healthy, Latos could move Johnson or Danks out of the rotation. Danks, entering the final season of a five-year, $65 million contract, has posted an ERA of 4.33 ERA or higher in each of the last five seasons.
Danks has not been the same pitcher since having shoulder surgery in August of 2012, and Latos joins the White Sox on a low-risk deal with injury issues of his own.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder had surgery to remove bone chips from his throwing (right) elbow before the 2014 season, and Latos has been slowed by a left knee injury the past two years.
In 24 games (21 starts) with the Marlins, Dodgers and Angels last season, Latos was 4-10 with a 4.95 ERA.
Pitching for the Reds in 2012-13, Latos was a combined 28-11 with a 3.32 ERA.
Over a seven-year career with the Padres, Reds, Marlins, Dodgers and Angels, Latos is 64-55 with a 3.51 ERA.
Signing Latos should also give top pitching prospect Carson Fulmer more time to develop.
The No. 8 overall pick in last year's draft, Fulmer pitched 23 innings for the Arizona Rookie League White Sox and high Class A Winston-Salem, posting a 1.96 ERA while striking out 26 in 23 innings.
Ishikawa is best known for hitting a walk-off 3-run homer in Game 5 of the 2014 National League Championship Series that vaulted the San Francisco Giants into the World Series.
Last season, Ishikawa played in 44 combined games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Giants, batting .206 with 1 home run and 8 RBI.
Ishikawa played in 34 games with Class AAA Charlotte, the Sox' top minor-league team, in 2013.
Latos at a glance
A closer look a new White Sox pitcher Mat Latos, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.
Age: 28
Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Size: 6-foot-6, 245 pounds
Teams: Played for Padres (2009-11), Reds (2012-14), Marlins (2015), Dodgers (2015), and Angels (2015).
<b>Career stats:</b>Wins-Losses: 66-55
ERA: 3.51
Games/starts: 177/174
Innings: 1068.1
Hits: 949
Strikeouts: 959
Walks: 315
Runs: 452
Home runs: 100
WHIP: 1.183
Best stretch: Was 14-4 in 2012 and 14-7 in 2013 for Reds, topping 200 innings in each season.
Source: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/latosma01.shtml">baseball-reference.com</a>