White Sox sign former Pirates reliever after long break from MLB

First, it was Michael A. Taylor. Then, it was Joshua Palacios. Now, another former Pittsburgh Pirate is headed to the Chicago White Sox organization in 2025.

Right-handed reliever Keone Kela, who spent parts of three seasons with the Pirates from 2018-20 and hasn't pitched in the Major Leagues since 2021, has reached an agreement with the White Sox on a minor-league deal. The club assigned him to its Arizona complex, where he can ramp back up to game form.

Kela hasn't pitched in affiliated ball since 2022, when he was signed to a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers late that season. He pitched 6 2/3 innings over seven games for Triple-A Oklahoma City that year, striking out five and earning a 6.75 ERA.

Kela has spent the last two seasons pitching internationally. He signed on with the Yakult Swallows in Japan in 2023 and pitched just 14 innings for their minor league club. He went to the Mexican League last season, where he pitched to a 2.70 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 40 innings. He went on to give up five runs over 16 innings in the Mexican winter league for a 1.13 ERA.

White Sox sign former Pirates reliever Keone Kela to minor-league deal

A 12th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2012, Kela spent the bulk of his career with the organization that drafted him. The Rangers traded him to the Pirates at the 2018 trade deadline for left-handed pitcher Taylor Hearn and infielder Sherten Apostel.

Kela pitched to a 2.49 ERA over 47 innings in parts of three seasons with the Pirates. His most recent Major League experience came when he allowed eight runs in 10 2/3 innings for the 2021 San Diego Padres before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in May of that year.

Kela has pitched parts of seven seasons at the big league level, and the White Sox are probably his best shot at getting back there in the not-too-distant future. Chicago is rebuilding and lacks established bullpen arms, so Kela's contract could theoretically be one of the first the White Sox select from Triple-A Charlotte once he's done conditioning in Arizona.

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