The Chicago White Sox are reportedly looking at signing veteran free agent pitchers, but at least two potential options have apparently been snatched up by other teams.
According to multiple reports, one pitcher the White Sox were interested in has signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, as Zack Wheeler inked a 5-year, $118 million with the club. Marc Carig and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic were the first to report the deal, but the news is especially stinging for White Sox fans because the team reportedly offered the hurler more money than what he ultimately signed for.
According to multiple reports, Wheeler ended up choosing the Phillies because of the team’s proximity to his fiance’s family in New Jersey, but the White Sox had offered him a five-year pact worth $120 million, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Chuck Garfien.
Wheeler wasn’t the only pitcher the White Sox missed out on. Early Wednesday, the Atlanta Braves struck first, signing free agent hurler Cole Hamels to a 1-year, $18 million contract.
Hamels spent the 2019 season with the Cubs, going 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 27 starts. Earlier in the week, he said that the White Sox had expressed interest in signing him, but he’s now officially off of the market as he’ll pitch for the high-powered Braves next season.
Now, the White Sox will still have options left on the market, including the two big names of Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole, but losing out on Wheeler and Hamels is a tough pill to swallow for a team looking to make a big step forward in the 2019 season.
