White Sox Sign Josh Harrison

Photo credit: Fast Philly Sports

Josh Harrison 2B 42
MLB Advanced Media, LP

March 15—The Chicago White Sox have signed veteran free agent, and two-time All-Star second baseman Josh Harrison to a one-year, $5.5 million contract ($4MM in 2022, $5.5MM option for 2023 with a $1.5MM buyout). He debuted with the Pirates in 2011, and subsequently played for the Tigers, the Phillies, and the Nationals. He was traded to the Athletics last season after the All-Star break, playing 48 games for the As and 90 games for the Nationals on the 2021 season. Last season (combined) Harrison went 141-for-505, batting .279/.341/.400 with 60 RBI, 58 RS, 9 SB and 8 HR in 138 G.

Vince Velasquez and Josh Harrison on joining the White Sox, via mlb.com:

White Sox Sign Joe Kelly

Photo credit: Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Joe Kelly RHP 17
MLB Advanced Media, LP

March 14—The Chicago White Sox have signed veteran free agent, right-hander Joe Kelly to a two-year, $17 million contract ($7MM in 2022, $9MM in 2023, $9.5MM option for 2024 with $1MM buyout). Kelly was drafted by the Cardinals in 2009, making his major league debut in 2012. He was traded to the Red Sox in 2014 and signed by the Dodgers as a free agent after the 2018 season. Last season he posted a record of 2-0, with an ERA of 2.86 in 44.0 IP (15 BB, 50 SO). Kelly is coming off of a nerve injury sustained at the end of last season.

Joe Kelly on joining the White Sox via mlb.com:

White Sox Sign Vince Velasquez

Photo credit: Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Vince Velasquez RHP 23
MLB Advanced Media, LP

March 14—The Chicago White Sox have signed veteran free agent, right-hander Vince Velasquez to a one-year, $3 million contract. Velasquez was drafted by the Astros in 2010, debuted in 2015, then traded to the Phillies after the 2015 season. He pitched a few games for the Padres at the end of last season. For the 2021 regular season, he posted a combined record of 3-9, with an ERA of 6.30 in 94 ⅓ IP (49 BB, 101 SO).

Vince Velasquez and Josh Harrison on joining the White Sox, via mlb.com:

New CBA Signed and Ratified

Photo credit: USA Today

March 10—The thirty MLB clubs and the MLB Players Association have signed and ratified a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the previous agreement which expired on December 1. The new agreement will remain in effect through the 2026 season. These are some of the key provisions:

The Game

  • Universal Designated Hitter. Teams in both leagues will utilize hitting specialists in lieu of pitchers in their lineups. Finally!
  • Extra Innings. The universally unpopular automatic runner on second base in extra-innings rule is abandoned. Super fantastic!
  • Doubleheaders. Both games of a doubleheader will consist of the full nine innings, rather than seven. Amen!
  • Optional Assignments. Clubs may option a player to the minor leagues five times per season only, greatly reducing the continuous back-and-forth between the 40-Man Roster and the Minors that some players have experienced. In order to exercise a sixth option within a season, the affected player would have to pass through waivers (i.e., club risks player being picked up by another team).
  • Joint Competition Committee. The Committee, comprised of active players, MLB appointees, and one umpire will deliberate and rule on possible additional changes, such as pitch clock, automated ball/strike system, limits on defensive shifts, larger bases, etc. The Committee cannot adopt rule changes until the 2023 season, and 45 days notice is required before implementation.

Playoffs

  • Play-in games (aka potential 163rd games) are eliminated. All playoff spots will instead be decided by expanded tiebreaker formulas.
  • Each league will now have 3 (rather than 2) Wild Card winners, bringing the total number of post-season contenders to 12 (rather than 10)—3 division winners, plus 3 wild card teams per league.
  • The two top-seeded division winners in each league will sit out the Wild Card Round. The other four teams in each league will play a best-of-three series (3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5), hosted by the top seeds (i.e., 3 and 4).
  • In the best-of-five Division Series, #1 will play the 3-6 winner and #2 will play the 4-5 winner (no re-seeding).

Roster Moves

  • Clubs are free to make trades and to sign free agents as of Thursday evening (March 10).
  • There will now be a lottery for the top 6 picks in the Draft. All 18 teams that did not make the previous postseason will be eligible. The clubs with the 3 worst winning percentages will each have an equal 16.5% chance at the top pick, with the remaining 50.5% probability allocated among the remaining 15 teams based upon their winning percentages.
  • The Clubs and the Players Association agreed to a July 25 deadline to determine whether or not to implement the International Draft and how it would work. If the parties cannot come to an agreement before the deadline, the existing system will remain intact.

2022 Season Schedule

  • A full 162-game regular season will be played.
  • Opening Day will be delayed by one week—from March 31 to April 7.
  • Games that had been scheduled for the first week will be made up through a combination of doubleheaders, “off day” games, and games postponed to the end of the regular season, which is extended three additional days.

Coverage from MLB.com

Mark Feinsand discusses agreement, rule changes, and 2022 Season on MLB Beat Report

Commissioner Rob Manfred’s press conference on March 10.