Jake Diekman, a 37-year-old left-handed pitcher, joins the core of the bullpen with Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, and Drew Smith lining up behind the returning Edwin Díaz. Diekman received a $4M guarantee with a 2025 club option for $4M that becomes guaranteed if he pitches at least 58 games in 2024.
Surface level impressions of this signing will likely be highly skeptical. Diekman was a disaster in 2022 for the Red and White Sox, pitching to a combined 4.99 ERA and walking nearly 7 batters per 9 (-0.6 fWAR). He was mediocre in 2021 as well, and he was so bad early on in 2023 that the White Sox—who finished the season 61-101—cut him.