White Sox Add A Potential Closer To The Bullpen Mix

Chris Getz has stayed busy trying to find pieces to improve the roster without breaking the bank. One way to do this is to sign players to minor league deals, as the they do not count against the Sox cap space unless they make the roster. Even if they do make the roster, the cap space is usually very low, which fits the way the White Sox try to do things.

This time however, could be very beneficial for the White Sox, as the player they inked this time around has had real MLB success. According to the MLB Transactions page, the White Sox have signed reliever Joe Barlow to a minor league deal.

Unlike the other minor league signings, Barlow has had some very good numbers the last few years. Even in a down year in 2023, his major league numbers were not that bad. I’m very surprised that someone did not take a chance on him with a major league deal.

In 2021, Barlow would pitch in 31 games for the Texas Rangers, posting a 1.55 ERA in 29 innings. He held batters to a fantastic .124 batting average and a .083 WHIP. He also posted three holds, and saved 11 out of a possible 12 games. This is a great rookie year and he showed a lot of potential.

In 2022, he would not be as effective, but he was still very good. In 35 games and 35 innings, he had a 3.86 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Batters hit .213 against him which is higher than last year, but still pretty good. He got hit around a bit more, but still put up solid numbers in his second season. He was a bit less effective in the save category, as he only saved 13 out of a possible 17, this time blowing four saves.

Last year was his worst year statistically, but it still was not horrible overall. In 13 games and 9.2 innings, he had a 4.66 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He got hit around more than he has in his career, as hitters hit .310 against him. It seems like he just simply did not have his best stuff, as he only walked two batters in those 9.2 innings. This would get him designated for assignment and he would be picked up by none other than the Kansas City Royals.

He struggled in AAA for the Royals, but that is not indicative of who he is as a player, as he has had some very good major league success in 2021 and 2022. He already has more saves in his career than anyone else in the White Sox bullpen, and by a wide margin.

The fact that he has been able to get a decent amount of saves and be pretty effective could be big for the White Sox. If Barlow pitches well in Spring Training and makes the team, he could be fighting for a closer spot if they want to keep Gregory Santos as a high leverage setup man.

With the bullpen currently assembled as is, it is likely that Barlow has a good chance to make the team. If he pitches like he did in ’21-’22, he could be a reliever that the White Sox could flip at the deadline, or add in a trade to get a better prospect back.