White Sox avoid arbitration with closer Alex Colome, four other players

The White Sox on Friday handled pressing contract issues by avoiding arbitration with their five players eligible for it, including closer Alex Colome.

Colome will make $10,532,500 in 2020. That’s a $3,207,500 raise from last season, when he posted 30 saves and had a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings.

The Sox also struck deals with setup man Evan Marshall, left-hander Carlos Rodon, infielder/outfielder Leury Garcia and outfielder Nomar Mazara.

Marshall will earn $1.1 million, Rodon will get $4.45 million and Garcia will make $3.25 million. Mazara, whom the Sox acquired in a trade last month with the Rangers, agreed to a $5.56 million salary.

In 2019, Marshall made $453,568 and Rodon, who’s expected to miss the first half of the season while he continues recovering from Tommy John surgery, $4.2 million. Garcia made $1.55 million and Mazara $3.3 million last season.

The Sox’ nearly $120 million payroll for 2020 will be their highest since 2011.

Friday was the deadline for arbitration-eligible players and teams to exchange salary figures. Had the Sox and the players not been able to reach agreement, an arbitrator would have determined each player’s salary at a hearing in February.

The Sox historically have avoided going to arbitration. Before they lost to outfielder Avisail Garcia and infielder Yolmer Sanchez in 2018, the Sox hadn’t gone to arbitration since a case with closer Keith Foulke in 2001.

Also, right-hander Tayron Guerrero and left-hander Kodi Medeiros cleared waivers and were sent outright to Class AAA Charlotte.