After he experienced three seasons of frustrating injuries, Derek Holland is hopeful to rediscover health and success with the White Sox.
Holland cited the team’s enthusiastic recruitment of him as well as an optimistic discussion with pitching coach Don Cooper as reasons why he joined the White Sox on a one-year, $6-million deal on Wednesday. The length of the deal also was a selling point for the former Texas Rangers pitcher, who also was reportedly in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Holland went 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 games (20 starts) for the Texas Rangers last season.
“I thought the one-year deal was perfect, especially being with Cooper and getting back on track,” Holland said. “It helps me to be successful again and get out there and helps the team to win. I thought that was huge. Like I said, we’ll see what happens in the future. But the main thing is we’ve got to focus on the now and the one-year deal and staying healthy, get out on that field and give the White Sox a chance to win every time I go out there.”
Knee and shoulder injuries have limited Holland to 203 innings pitched over the past three seasons. He had knee surgery before the 2014 season began, which limited him to six September starts. Shoulder issues in 2015 kept him inactive from April to August and he finished the season with 58 2/3 innings. Shoulder inflammation sidelined Holland for two months last season, when he posted a 4.95 ERA in 107 1/3 innings.
But Holland said his knees are fine and his shoulder has made steady progress the past two seasons that has him optimistic about 2017.
“The past three years has been a little frustrating,” Holland said. “My shoulder has been getting better each year. Obviously, I’ve had the injuries but I saw a few things and me and Cooper actually talked about it as well. I thought each year from the two shoulder injuries, I felt like progressed big time with innings pitched and getting myself back to where I need to be. Obviously, some of the results weren’t the way I wanted them but the main thing was to get back on the field and be healthy.”
Holland’s signing became a necessity after the White Sox traded Chris Sale to Boston last week. The club also traded Adam Eaton last week and has entertained offers for Jose Quintana this offseason as it undergoes its first rebuild since 1997.
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Holland averaged 195 innings per year from 2011-13, a span in which he went 38-21 with a 3.98 ERA for the Rangers. Were the White Sox to trade both Sale and Quintana they would need to replace a duo that has averaged 393 innings per season since 2012, including 434 2/3 innings in 2016.
The White Sox acquired several young arms in the deals for Sale and Eaton. Even though Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez reached the big leagues last season, general manager Rick Hahn said the White Sox want to be patient with their young pitchers, a group that also includes Michael Kopech, among others. Holland said both manager Rick Renteria and Cooper called him to discuss pitching for the White Sox.
“Derek gives a veteran, left-handed presence for our starting rotation with a proven track record of pitching well in big games,” Hahn said. “This move provides us with additional depth and flexibility in the rotation.”
The White Sox designated pitcher Matt Purke for assignment to make room for Holland, who pitched in parts of eight seasons for Texas.