The Chicago White Sox added to their bullpen depth Saturday, signing right-hander John Brebbia to a one-year deal, a source confirmed to the Tribune.

The move is pending a physical.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi initially reported the signing and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the deal is for $5.5 million.

Brebbia, 33, is 15-15 with a 3.42 ERA and two saves in 295 career appearances (21 starts as an opener) during six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2017-19) and San Francisco Giants (2021-23). He has 321 strikeouts and 90 walks in 299 2/3 career innings.

He went 3-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 40 outings (10 as an opener) for the Giants in 2023. Brebbia had 47 strikeouts and 14 walks in 38 1/3 innings, missing a portion of the season with a right lat strain.

Brebbia underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2020 and made 18 appearances for the Giants in 2021. He led the National League with 76 outings the next season (11 as an opener), going 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 18 walks in 68 innings.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ in December paid $3.09 million for a 3,395-square-foot condominium in a newly constructed, 16-story luxury condo building in the West Loop.

Happ, 29, has spent his entire seven-year career with the Cubs, and was an All-Star in 2022. He signed a three-year, $61 million contract extension with the team last year.

In the West Loop, Happ’s three-bedroom condo is one of 58 in its building. His unit has 3 ½ bathrooms, herringbone entry floors, arched doorways, top-of-the-line kitchen appliances, cabinetry by Bovelli Custom Millwork, bathroom fixtures from Lefroy Brooks and a living room fireplace provided by South Side fireplace manufacturer Atelier Jouvence.

The real estate agent who represented Happ in his purchase, Nancy Tassone, declined to comment on the purchase.

The unit has a $937 monthly homeowners association fee, in addition to an unspecified property tax bill.

Happ is one of the few current Cubs to own a place in Chicago. Shortstop Dansby Swanson and his wife, Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, paid $3.5 million last year to buy a six-bedroom, 7,000-square-foot mansion in Lakeview from former Cubs President Theo Epstein and his wife, Marie. And starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks has owned a six-bedroom house in Lakeview since buying it in 2017 for $2.18 million.

Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

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Faux SoxFest weekend begins Friday, with White Sox fans seeking a proper substitute in the absence of the annual fan fest and the team trying to make some news in the dead of a Chicago winter.

A season ticket holders event Friday at the Field Museum basically takes the place of the traditional SoxFest, which was canceled during the pandemic in 2021 and never resumed. The Sox aren’t promoting it much, hoping not to look as if they’re simply responding to fans who believe SoxFest was canceled to avoid the expected griping.

As of Thursday, no media availability was scheduled for Friday’s event, suggesting the Sox want this to be a private gathering between the organization and its most loyal, paying customers. Hors d’oeuvres will be served, which also might explain why the Sox don’t want the media around.

The Sox are betting they still can garner media attention on a slow sports weekend in Chicago, without the bother or expense of planning a huge, multiday event.

On Friday, the Sox announced the return of SoxFest in January 2025 to mark the 20-year anniversary of the 2005 World Series team and the 125-year anniversary of the organization.

If the Sox make any news from the Field Museum, it likely would be leaked first by individual fans, perhaps via Sox Twitter (or Sox X, if you must), to the fans who weren’t invited. Obviously fans have many questions for the Sox brain trust, from the lack of major offseason moves to the Dylan Cease situation to the possibility of a new South Loop stadium.

There’s also newly signed broadcaster John Schriffen to discuss, as well as the one he replaced, Jason Benetti. And what’s the progress of the investigation into the mysterious gunshots in the left–field bleachers?

Any new theories, chairman?

If a normal SoxFest were in place this weekend, it would be the first time for general manager Chris Getz to explain his plan to fans, just as former GMs Ken Williams and Rick Hahn faithfully did most of the last two decades, with mixed results. A SoxFest without some creative tension is not a true SoxFest.

It would be a great opportunity for manager Pedro Grifol to explain why he expects things to be different in 2024, with a lower payroll and holes in the rotation, bullpen and infield. And marketing boss Brooks Boyer could explain how he plans to get people in the seats in a ballpark the team seemingly admits is not worth preserving.

Meanwhile, the potential South Loop Park has gotten a generally positive reception without any details being announced. Wouldn’t it be perfect to reveal the renderings at SoxFest?

Alas, for those fans who aren’t invited to the Field Museum, a Faux SoxFest will have to suffice.

What is that? According to reliable sources, a Faux SoxFest contains all the elements of the real deal, except without players to sign autographs, executives to yell at about their decisions or memorabilia booths selling action photos of former catcher Carlton Fisk tagging two guys out on one play at the plate.

At Faux SoxFest, there’s no need to drive to McCormick Place or a downtown hotel and pay for parking, an admission fee or maybe even a hotel room. All you need is a few chairs, some cold beverages and three or more fellow Sox fans to discuss the state of the organization. Malört is optional. Anyone bringing up Justin Fields is promptly shown the door.

Sox therapy is free to dispense and always welcome, no matter what time of year. A Faux SoxFest would reduce the team’s carbon footprint while helping fans relieve stress caused by the compulsive and unnecessary refreshing of the mlbtraderumors.com website.

It’s undeniable this has been a lousy winter for Chicago baseball fans, no matter which side of town you call your own. But the fact the Cubs held their downtown fan convention while the Sox had none is particularly galling to some Sox fans. A new season deserves to be celebrated in the winter, when there are no losses, no injuries and no random shootings.

Players are usually in a great mood, including Eloy Jiménez, who recently told A.J. Pierzynski’s podcast, “Fair Territory,” that he would hit more than 40 home runs in 2024 “if I’m healthy.”

That’s not exactly his MO, but it’s never too early to think big. The ‘24 Sox have to rely on Jiménez, Luis Robert and Andrew Vaughn to carry the offense, assuming they don’t deal Jiménez along the way.

But that’s a topic to be discussed this weekend at your local Faux SoxFest, where people are all the same — and where everybody knows your name.

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Nary a peep could be heard as Lucas Gerten stood on the 1-meter diving board, 1 1/2 somersaults and a twist away from state history.

Barely making a splash, the Rosemount junior quickly rose to the surface and immediately looked to the scoreboard at the other end of the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center with a look of anxiety.

“I knew it was close. The (52.8) showed up and I just knew,” he said. Then came four full arm fist pumps of excitement.

Gerten won won the Class 2A diving meet forthe third year in a row. His total score of 539.6 bested the previous record of 532.7 that had stood since 1997 and was equaled in 2010.

“It wasn’t something I focused on but after hitting the last two in my finals lineup I knew I had a shot,” said Gerten, whose winning scores the previous two years were 480.6 and 419.4.

A couple of his friends took second and third: Owen Kipp and Stone Larson from Eagan.

“It was a dream to go 1-2-3 in our section and then bring it to the state podium too,” said Kipp, the only senior of the three. He nailed his last dive to finish at 477.1.

“Considering the first one went really bad I knew I wasn’t going to hit my goal score (500), but I wanted my last dive to be really good. … For a not-great meet that’s still pretty good to me.”

Larson finished at 444.4, nearly 10 points up on Porter Woodson of Lakeville South.

“I wanted to spend my junior year podium with Owen and Lucas,” said Larson, who’ll be participating in the state weightlifting championship next Saturday.

Edina takes team title

For the fifth time in six years Edina is the Class 2A state champion. The Hornets had three event winners and five second-place finishers to beat rival Minnetonka by six points. Prior Lake, Wayzata, Lakeville South and Eagan rounded out the top six.

Kogler ascends

Fourth in the individual medley, Stillwater’s Jackson Kogler finished second in the backstroke, 0.78 seconds behind Ethan Kosin of Prior Lake and 0.13 seconds ahead of Wayzata’s Nathan Carr, who was second halfway through the race.

“I just got to work a little on the second 50 because on the first 50 I stayed with him and second one (Kosin) was able to pull away,” the junior said.

Breck/Blake dominates again in Class A

Breck/Blake won its record-setting eighth straight title. It won six events, including Josiah Hill setting a Class A record of 4:32.99 in the 500 free.

St. Thomas Academy finished second and Northfield third.

For the Cadets, Will Barth was second in the 500 free, Dane Dow second in the 200 IM and third in the 500 free, and Luke Mechtel took third in the 100 breast and fourth in 50 free. The team of Dow, Mechtel, Kayden Greely and William Nash was third in the 200 free relay.

Conner Hogan of Hutchinson, a Wisconsin commit, won the 50 free and 100 free, setting a record in the latter of 43.80.