Derek Holland Agrees To 1-Year Deal With White Sox
By: Josh Clark
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DALLAS (105.3 The Fan/AP) - Free agent pitcher Derek Holland has agreed to a $6 million, one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Holland can make $2 million in performance bonuses: $1 million each for 150 and 200 innings.
It's a good deal for the White Sox after they just traded their left-handed ace Chris Sale. Holland will join Carlos Rodon as the club's two left handed starters.
It is, however, a tough ending to the Dutch Oven's career in a Rangers uniform. Holland just wasn't performing well over the last few seasons. His velocity was down and he just couldn't hit the corners of the plate. Injuries were also a problem as he only started 35 games over the last three seasons.
Despite his struggles, Holland is one of the good guys in the game. He's always out in the Dallas/Fort Worth community and can be seen regularly at Cowboys, Mavs & Stars games. So he'll definitely be a missed fixture in the Rangers clubhouse.
In early November, when Holland's option wasn't picked up by the club, he posted a heartfelt message to Rangers' fans, thanking them for the time he'd been apart of the organization.
"Dear rangers fans, it comes to me that I will or may not be a ranger next year but as the news has come i will be testing out free agency. With that being said I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the greatest fans to me and welcoming not only me but my family to the great state of Texas and making some of the greatest memories ever." (sic)
Holland went 62-50 with a 4.35 ERA in his eight-year career with Texas. He was 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 2016.
Holland's most defining moment as a Ranger came in the 2011 World Series when he allowed two hits and struck out seven in 8 1/3 innings to help beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 to tie the series at 2-2. Texas would go on to lose the series 4-3.
It's been a bit of an unnerving off-season so far for the club. The Rangers have lost Carlos Beltran, Ian Desmond, Mitch Moreland, Prince Fielder (during the season) and now Holland. There is still plenty of time, however, for Jon Daniels and his staff to put the pieces together. But that doesn't make things any easier on the minds of Rangers fans.
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