LaRoche lands in Chicago

We knew that Adam LaRoche wouldn't be returning to the Nationals for the 2015 season. Now we know where the 35-year-old first baseman will be suiting up for the next two years. LaRoche has agreed to terms on a two-year, $25 million deal with the White Sox, a contract that was first reported by USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The deal will give LaRoche a hitter-friendly home ballpark, as 1.86 home runs were hit per game at U.S. Cellular Field in 2014, ninth-most in the majors. Just 1.33 homers per game were hit at Nationals Park, and only 1.28 homers per game were hit at Marlins Park in Miami. The Marlins were another team pursuing LaRoche, as they are looking to upgrade the middle of their lineup and find bats to protect Giancarlo Stanton. Miami reportedly had a two-year, $20 million offer on the table, but the White Sox jumped in and topped that deal. LaRoche hit .249 with 82 homers, 269 RBI, and a .781 OPS in 489 games over the last four seasons with the Nationals. He was a streaky hitter, and had down seasons in 2011 and 2013, but won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove in a stellar 2012 campaign and then had a bounce-back season in 2014, hitting 26 homers and driving in 92. This deal shows just how much a qualifying offer can scare teams off in free agency. Two years ago, LaRoche was coming off that strong 2012 season and was 33. The Nats extended LaRoche a qualifying offer, which he declined. In order for another team to sign LaRoche, they would have needed to give up a high draft pick. As a result, there was little interest in LaRoche, and he ended up waiting until Jan. 8 to sign a two-year, $24 million deal with the Nats. This time around, LaRoche is two years older, and his defense isn't quite at the level it was in 2012. Still, without the qualifying offer attached to him, LaRoche lands a two-year deal worth more money than he did in the winter going into the 2013 campaign. The quiet, professional LaRoche was beloved in D.C. by teammates, coaches, reporters and fans alike. Ideally, the Nats would have liked to bring LaRoche back for at least another season, but with Ryan Zimmerman set to move across the diamond and become the Nats' first baseman next season, LaRoche didn't have a spot open for him in the Washington lineup. He'll now make a move to the American League, where he will likely split first base and DH duties with Jose Abreu, who won American League Rookie of the Year honors this year. This marks two former Nats who have signed with the White Sox this offseason; left-handed reliever Zach Duke inked a three-year, $15 million deal with Chicago earlier this week. This is also the second straight Nats first baseman that has gone to the White Sox after leaving D.C. Adam Dunn suited up for the Nats from 2009-2010 before signing a four-year, $56 million deal with Chicago. Dunn has opted to retire, and now the White Sox replace him, in a sense, with another Nationals power-hitting first baseman.