6 starting pitchers the Chicago White Sox should pursue in free agency

Sonny Gray

Spotrac.com projects Gray could command a three-year, $60 million contract. Paying a pitcher $20 million a year might not be something Reinsdorf will stomach, but it would be for three seasons and a chance to weaken the Twins.

Gray had a 2.79 ERA, a 2.83 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, and finished as a 5.3 fWAR player. He struck out 183 and walked 55 while he held opponents to a .225 batting average.

Adding him to the roster would also eliminate a foe who has been tough on the Chicago White Sox bats. The Sox have hit just .224 against him during his career.

The three-time All-Star has been a consistent producer over his five seasons. He will be 34 next season and the Sox have been burned before signing a former top-of-the-rotation pitcher who suddenly declined. See Dallas Keuchel.

Then again, all Gray has done is pitch well consistently and he has shown no sign of that stopping any time soon.

Jordan Montgomery

Spotrac forecasts the lefty could sign a six-year, $110 million contract. That might be too rich for Jerry Reinsdorf’s blood. First, it would be the richest contract ever given out by the Chicago White Sox to a free agent. It would also be the first contract over $100 million in franchise history.

Also, Reinsdorf does not like giving out a lot of years to starting pitchers. On the flip side, the average salary is projected to be around $18 million and that is good value for a left-hander who posted a 3.20 ERA and was a 4.5 fWAR player this season.

Plus, he is a career 3.68 ERA pitcher who has thrown over 150 innings in the past three seasons.

Oh, he just won a World Series with the Texas Rangers.

He has held hitters to a .242 batting average in his career and has a 1.21 WHIP in that span.

Montgomery will be 31 next season but his stuff projects to age well. It might be time for Jerry to open up his wallet a little bit more especially if he wants the Chicago White Sox to be competitive quickly.

Eduardo Rodriguez

This is another lefty that is projected to cost at least five years and $102 million.

He will be 31 next season. Rodriguez posted a 3.30 ERA, and a 3.66 FIP, and was a three-player this season.

When healthy, he can eat up innings. He has a career 1.29 WHIP.

At some point, Reinsdorf is going to have to bite the bullet and hand a $100 million contract. Might as well give it to a pitcher and weaken a division rival in the process.