Adam LaRoche, Chicago White Sox agree to two-year deal
By Tyler Birss
The Chicago White Sox and Adam LaRoche have agreed to a two-year, $25 million contract. Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported the news. For a player who reaches base and slugs at .340 and .472 career clips, $12.5 million annually is great market value for Chicago. LaRoche will form a nice duo with Cuban sensation Jose Abreu, who won this year’s AL Rookie of the Year Award.
LaRoche spent the last four years as a member of the Washington Nationals. The White Sox will be his fifth team in an 11-year career. His 2014 numbers included 26 home runs and 92 RBI. The left-handed slugger sported a .362 on-base percentage and is known for a reliable glove at first base. He can fully take over that position, which allows Abreu to find comfort in an exclusive DH role.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
This is a somewhat surprising contract for LaRoche and his agent to accept. With offensive production down across the MLB, LaRoche hit for a respectable .259 batting average and showcased strong power numbers. It’s not so much the $12.5 million annual salary that represents a shock, it’s the low number of years. Perhaps the 35-year-old wants to earn a final contract after his deal with Chicago runs out.
From Chicago’s perspective, this deal could be one of many that pushes the team toward contention in 2015. Zach Duke was another smart signing that will improve the team’s bullpen moving forward. With LaRoche, another offensive piece and an ace level starter, Chicago will be in the AL Central mix next season. It’s a division that usually doesn’t feature a dominant winner. The Detroit Tigers won it in 2014 with just 90 wins – and the eventual pennant-winning Royals were in the mix right until the end.
To begin this offseason, Chicago already has a lefty reliever in Duke and a quality first baseman in LaRoche. His contract is extremely reasonable and he’s seen as a beneficial clubhouse presence. The White Sox are making a statement that AL Central management teams should take seriously.