Chicago White Sox: Jesse Crain Is Quietly Justifying Free Agent Price Tag

The Chicago White Sox brought some new faces to the team last winter via free agency. While one of those signings has struggled mightily this season, the acquisition of reliever Jesse Crain has flown under the radar of most fans.

Crain signed a three-year, $13 million deal to come over from Minnesota and has settled right in to the right-handed set-up role envisioned for him. While Sergio Santos and Matt Thornton flip-flopped bullpen responsibilities, Crain remained in place and is quietly enjoying one of his best seasons.

Crain has appeared in 38 games this season, going 4-2 thus far. His ERA currently is 2.56 and batters are hitting just .169 against him.

Since a poor April 29th outing, where he gave up four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning, Crain has posted a 1.69 ERA. He has 12 holds on the season for the White Sox, right on pace with Thornton's total from a year ago.

At this rate, Crain will equal—and likely better—his numbers with the Twins over the past two or three seasons. His first season in Chicago has everything a team should expect in a free-agent signing.

With the way that Chicago's other new face has underperformed, it's easy to forget the job that Crain has done in the season's first half.

Meanwhile, Thornton has settled into a groove. He hasn't given up an earned run in his last 12 appearances and has 10 holds on the year. Since May 1, he's collected nine of those holds, as well as three saves, while posting a 1.57 ERA.

Thornton and Crain are proving to be quite the lefty-righty set-up tandem for Chicago, who will need that to continue if they plan to stay in the AL Central race.