White Sox, All-Star Herrera finalize $18M, 2-year contract
CHICAGO (AP) — Kelvin Herrera helped the Kansas City Royals build to a World Series championship. He sees similar potential with the Chicago White Sox.
The two-time All-Star reliever and the White Sox finalized an $18 million, two-year contract on Tuesday.
Herrera will earn $8.5 million in each of the next two years as part of the deal, and the White Sox have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $1 million buyout. The option would become guaranteed it he appears at least in 110 games as a pitcher during the next two seasons, including at least 55 in 2020, and he passes a physical at the end of the 2020 season.
Herrera was part of a dominant bullpen that helped Kansas City win back-to-back pennants and the 2015 World Series. He hopes to help the rebuilding White Sox complete a similar climb.
"I'm excited for the direction this team has taken," he said through an interpreter. "It resembles my time with Kansas City when I was starting. We were in the rebuilding mode, and we were just trying to learn how to play the right way, with intensity and giving it a 100- percent effort every time. I think that's something that you can see in this team, too."
The 29-year-old right-hander has a 2.82 ERA and 60 saves in eight seasons with the Royals and Washington. He had a 2.44 ERA with 17 saves in 48 games last year for Kansas City and the Nationals, who acquired him on June 18.
Herrera did not pitch after Aug. 26 because of a broken left foot. He said he has been throwing and is optimistic he will be ready to start spring training with no restrictions.
Chicago is coming off its sixth straight losing season, finishing fourth in the AL Central at 62-100 last year. The White Sox acquired former Tampa Bay closer Alex Colome in a trade with Seattle in November. They also got first baseman and designated hitter Yonder Alonso from Cleveland last month.
