The White Sox gained more financial certainty Friday when they signed late-inning reliever Mike MacDougal to a three-year, $6.45 million contract.
MacDougal, 29, becomes the fourth Sox player under contract through 2009. The contract includes a $3.75 million team option for 2010 with a $350,000 buyout.
The Sox cleared nearly $10 million Wednesday when they traded starter Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia. And Houston could resurrect talks with the Sox regarding their veteran starting pitchers after the Astros lost out on free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte to the New York Yankees on a reported one-year, $16 million contract.
Houston needs starting pitching, and a reported deal for Jon Garland failed because of medical issues regarding pitcher Taylor Buchholz. The Astros have a reservoir of young pitchers and could make another proposal that includes two healthy pitching prospects and speedy center fielder Willy Taveras, who is one year away from salary arbitration.
The Sox essentially bought out MacDougal’s three years as an arbitration-eligible player while giving him financial security. MacDougal’s career has been plagued by right shoulder injuries, but he was 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 25 games with the Sox after coming in a July 24 trade from Kansas City for pitching prospects Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes.
MacDougal has a 3.62 ERA with 50 saves over parts of six seasons with the Royals and Sox but has shared the setup duties with left-hander Matt Thornton. He will earn $1.5 million in 2007, $1.95 million in 2008 and $2.65 million in 2009.
The signing leaves the Sox with two unsigned arbitration-eligible players–third baseman Joe Crede and infielder Alex Cintron. Both players are expected to receive contract offers by Tuesday’s deadline.
The Yankees are considering signing former Sox reliever Dustin Hermanson to an incentive-based contract, according to the New York Post.
