White Sox announce signing of Dallas Keuchel

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel joined the White Sox because of their “willingness to win,” he said Monday.

The Sox signed the two-time All-Star and 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner because they’re ready to do just that.

Albeit for less money and fewer years, Keuchel’s three-year, $55.5 million deal, which includes a club option for 2023, is not unlike the six-year, $155 million deal lefty Jon Lester signed with the Cubs before the 2015 season. Like Lester, Keuchel has a proven record, leadership savvy and a World Series title (2017 Astros) on his résumé, making him a good fit for a Sox rotation anchored by the young arms of Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech.

“Someone who has been to the top of the mountain,” general manager Rick Hahn said.

Keuchel, who turns 32 Wednesday, will pitch for a team that has been at or near the bottom of the AL Central for much of the last decade, with no postseason appearances since 2008. For trying to help change that, Keuchel will receive $18 million each season from 2020 to 2022. The Sox hold a $20 million option for ’23 with a $1.5 million buyout.

“Dallas is a great competitor we foresee throwing valuable innings in meaningful games over the next several years and leading our entire pitching staff through his example day in and day out,” Hahn said.

Keuchel said the Sox’ talented young core and push toward a “winning window” was a factor in his signing.

‘‘[And] the group of guys,” he said. “I heard good things about [veteran first baseman Jose] Abreu and the clubhouse.”

His Sox appeal wasn’t hurt by Yasmani Grandal, a skilled pitch-framer, and James McCann, a college teammate, being there to catch the 2015 and ’17 AL All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner.

“As a pitcher, I’m going to be drawn to the backstop situation first because, well, you win and lose with the catchers,” Keuchel said. “And that’s really going to be a strength for us this year and hopefully for years to come.”

After three years of rebuilding, the Sox have turned a corner by adding Grandal (four years, $73 million), designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (one year, $11 million, plus a $1 million bonus) and left-handers Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez (one year, $5 million) to their young core in free agency. They also traded for right fielder Nomar Mazara, 24, and extended Abreu for three years and $50 million. When the Encarnacion deal is official, payroll will sit at slightly above $120 million.

“We view this as the next logical step in the process,” Hahn said.

Are the Sox a championship-caliber team?

“It’s too early to make any proclamations like that,” Hahn said. “Let’s finish the offseason.

“How quickly we get [to winning championships] or how long this middle stage — this transition from intriguing nucleus and impactful core to championship club — takes, we’re going to have to wait and discover together.”

Hahn still has work to do this offseason. His next objective is to add to the bullpen. Available free agents include Will Harris, Steve Cishek and Pedro Strop.

“We still have flexibility to add,” Hahn said. “We hope to continue to do that and have similar calls to this [conference call for Keuchel] in the coming weeks. In terms of July [at the trade deadline], when we have a payroll target in mind for the season, you do try to keep a little bit of powder dry. That said, if opportunities arise that make us better right now and sort of pre-buy that mid-July piece, we’re willing to move forward on that sooner rather than later.”