It is World Series or bust time for the Chicago White Sox and that means getting rid of the players that can no longer be counted on. Prior to Wednesday night’s tender deadline, the White Sox announced that both left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon and left-handed hitting outfielder Nomar Mazara had not been tendered contracts for the 2021 season.
Rodon and Mazara non-tendered
This move means Rodon and Mazara are now free agents.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) December 2, 2020
According to MLB Trade Rumors, Rodon was projected to make $4.5 million next year, while Mazara’s 2021 arbitration salary was estimated at almost $6 million.
Fry avoids arbitration
Meanwhile, the club also announced that they agreed to a contract with left-handed reliever Jace Fry, who will make $862,500 in 2021, avoiding an arbitration hearing with the team. Fry, 27, has been with the White Sox for his entire MLB career, making his big league debut in 2017. In 2020, Fry had a 3.66 ERA in 19.2 innings over 18 appearances. Overall, Fry has a 4.75 ERA in 156 appearances in Chicago.
Injuries caught up with Rodon
The White Sox drafted Carlos Rodon in 2014, using the third overall pick on the lefty. Once a top prospect in the organization, Rodon had some early success with the White Sox, recording a 3.75 ERA in 139.1 innings during his rookie season in 2015. However, following an average 2016 season, when Rodon had a 4.04 ERA in 28 starts, the injuries hit him relentlessly.
From 2017-20, Rodon was only able to make a total of 29 starts, accumulating 162.1 innings during that three-season stretch. Of course, the biggest bit of bad luck was when Rodon went down with an elbow injury in 2019, forcing him to have Tommy John surgery.
Despite the setback in 2019, Rodon came back and was ready for the beginning of the shortened 2020 season that started in late July. But after only two starts Rodon’s velocity took a huge dip and a shoulder injury sidelined him for nearly eight weeks. The White Sox used him as a reliever to end the season, but Rodon had a terrible outing against the Cleveland Indians in the final week of the regular season and then gave up a few runs in his only appearance against the Oakland A’s in the playoffs.
Overall, Rodon finishes his White Sox career with a 4.14 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 536.2 innings.
Missing with Mazara
The acquisition of Nomar Mazara was always looked as a gamble for the White Sox. He was also once a highly ranked prospect, but Mazara could never really elevate his game above average with the Texas Rangers.
The White Sox obviously didn’t think a pandemic was coming in 2020, so that also messed up their plans. Mazara had COVID-19, missed summer camp and didn’t play until Aug. 3, for the White Sox. After four years in Texas, where Mazara posted a .750 OPS, the left-handed hitting right fielder only had a .589 OPS in 136 at-bats for the White Sox.
Mazara just wasn’t the answer the White Sox were hoping he would be to fill the hole in right field and with a few options in free agency, this non-tender shouldn’t come as a surprise.
However, White Sox GM Rick Hahn did say that the team will stay in contact with both players this winter.
Rick Hahn: "We plan to stay in contact with both Nomar and Carlos and evaluate their possible fit with our club as we move forward through the offseason.”
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) December 2, 2020
Maybe Rick is just being nice.
