White Sox sign two-time All-Star IF Josh Harrison to one-year, $5.5M deal

The White Sox made one of the first big splashes of post-lockout free agency Saturday evening when they signed Joe Kelly, but clearly, they weren't satisfied with that move alone.

Josh Harrison is signing a deal with the White Sox as well, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported. It was confirmed by Harrison's agency. Rosenthal reports the deal is for one year and $5.5 million, with a club option for 2023 carrying a $1.5 million buyout.

Harrison is likely to fill the hole at second base for the White Sox, one that opened up when the team traded Nick Madrigal to the Cubs at last season's trade deadline. The 34-year-old Harrison doesn't have as much long-term potential as Madrigal, but he does provide a sturdy offensive presence that can slot in anywhere in the order.

Spending the first eight years of his career with the Pirates, Harrison picked up two All-Star selections and even finished ninth in MVP voting in 2014. He then spent one forgettable year with the Tigers in 2019 before joining the Nationals, where he bounced back to hit .278/.352/.418 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Last year, Harrison started with Washington and hit .294/.366/.434 over his first 90 games. He was dealt to the Athletics at the trade deadline, and he hit .254/.296/.341 with Oakland to close the season.