Feb 15, 2014; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chien-Ming Wang during team workouts on the practice fields of Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
On Thursday it became official as the Chicago White Sox signed Chien-Ming Wang and assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte to play for the Knights.
Wang this season has been playing for the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds). He opted out of the contract this past week.
ROSTER MOVES: @whitesox sign RHP Chien-Ming Wang & assign him to #CLT. Dylan Axelrod traded to #Cincinnati, Deunte Heath released (Japan).
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) July 17, 2014
The right-handed pitcher has previously played for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays in the Majors, last playing for the Blue Jays in ’13.
In his six games with Toronto last season, Wang went 1-2 with a 7.67 ERA. He pitched 27 innings, allowing 40 hits (23 ER) including five home runs and nine walks.
This isn’t a bad signing by the White Sox for the fact it doesn’t cost much to sign him, and they didn’t have to give up anything to sign Wang to a contract.
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With the trouble the White Sox have had with the back end of their rotation, maybe they can try him as the fifth starter this season, or if nothing else place him in the bullpen and see where that takes him and the White Sox, if he does make it back to the Majors.
Wang has not has an ERA under 4.00 in the Majors since the ’07 season with the Yankees, when he was 19-7 on the year. In ’06 he was 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA, finishing in second place in the AL Cy Young award voting.
But those stats were seven years and a few injuries ago.
In the minors this season with the Bats, Wang is 8-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts. He’s pitched 119.1 innings, allowing just four home runs in that span, and he’s walked 45 batters this season.
This isn’t a “knock your socks off” type of signing, but it could be considered a project with a little up side if it turns out positive.
If not, at least they tried.