Surely it’s some kind of strange baseball accounting thing, right? How else to explain two arbitration avoidance agreements here at the hind end of the year?
Evan Marshall, one of the sturdiest members of the formidable White Sox bullpen, agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal — $100,000 more than his MLBTR estimate of $1.9 million!
Here’s what the White Sox have to say:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 31, 2020
WHITE SOX AGREE TO TERMS ON ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH EVAN MARSHALL
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million contract with right-handed pitcher Evan Marshall, avoiding arbitration.
Marshall, 30, went 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA, eight holds, 30 strikeouts and a 1.06 WHIP over 23 relief appearances in 2020, his second season with the White Sox. He averaged a career-best 11.91 strikeouts per 9.0 IP and limited opponents to a .198 average, including a .119 mark vs. lefthanders.
Marshall originally was signed by the White Sox as a free agent on Oct. 30, 2018. Over two seasons with the Sox, he has gone 6-3 with a 2.45 ERA, 27 holds and 71 strikeouts in 78 relief outings.
Marshall is under one more year of arbitration control, becoming a free agent for the 2023 season.
Only Lucas Giolito ($5.3 million MLBTR arb estimate) and Reynaldo López ($2.2 million) remain on track for an arbitration hearing next year.