The White Sox signed left-handed starter Derek Holland to a one-year, $6 million contract, the club announced Wednesday.
Holland, 30, who has dealt with knee and shoulder injuries over the last three seasons, posted a 4.95 ERA over 107 1/3 innings for the Texas Rangers last year. The Rangers declined his $11.5 million option for 2017 and paid him a $1.5 million buyout.
“Derek gives a veteran, left-handed presence for our starting rotation with a proven track record of pitching well in big games,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “This move provides us with additional depth and flexibility in the rotation.’’
So just how does signing a 30-year-old veteran fit into a rebuild plan? Depending on his performance, Holland could be flipped to a contending team for prospects during the season in the same way, for example, the Cubs signed 30-year-old right-hander Scott Feldman for an almost identical $6 million plus incentives in the 2013 offseason before dealing him and Steve Clevenger to the Orioles for Jake Arrieta, Pedro Strop and cash in July.
“You never know what’s going to lie ahead,’’ Holland said. “I could go out there and have an unbelievable year and end up staying with Chicago and end up staying with Chicago and end up being a part of the process and what they’re trying to do.’’
Holland is 62-50 with a 4.35 ERA in eight career seasons, his best in 2011 when he went 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA. He pitched a career high 213 innings with a career-best 3.42 ERA in 2013, but was limited to 37 innings in 2014 and 58 2/3 in 2015. He opened the 2016 season in the Rangers rotation, going 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA in April before going on the disabled list on June 22 with left shoulder inflammation.
Holland had other teams’ interest, most notably the Pirates. After talking to first-year Sox manager Rick Renteria and veteran pitching coach Don Cooper before signing, he said he felt wanted.
“Cooper has had a lot of success with some left-handers and getting them back to where they need to be,’’ Holland said, “and helping them be successful played a huge role in my decision to go forward.’’
Holland, who is expected to bring a likable, veteran presence to the Sox clubhouse, will continue to make his home in Dallas, where he has been active in the community with charity work to combat childhood leukemia. While on a conference call with reporters Wednesday, he shared that he was driving one of his five pet lizards to the vet.
The Sox, whose trade of five-time All-Star left-hander Chris Sale to the Red Sox during the Winter Meetings last week started a rebuilding process, may not be done trading from a starting rotation which currently includes Jose Quintana, Miguel Gonzalez, Carlos Rodon and James Shields.
Quintana is the most attractive trade piece on the Sox roster, with the Houston Astros perhaps in the best position to deal. The Astros, who would like to add one starter to their rotation, reportedly balked at a package of major-league right-hander Joe Musgrove plus prospects Kyle Tucker and Francis Martes for Quintana. Hahn says he’s in no hurry to make more deals.
Left-hander Matt Purke was designated for assignment to make room for Holland on the 40-man roster.
Holland said the injuries were “frustrating.”
“But the main thing was being able to rebound each year and get myself better each time with the process.
“My knees are great. Everything is good. My shoulder has been getting better each year.
“I saw a few things and me and Cooper actually talked about it as well. I thought each year from the two shoulder injuries, I felt like progressed big-time with innings pitched and getting myself back to where I need to be. Obviously some of the results weren’t the way I wanted them but the main thing was to get back on the field and be healthy.”
