*Photo from BoSox Injection*
The outfield, and lineup altogether, was something that needed an upgrade. The Chicago White Sox and OF Andrew Benintendi have agreed to a 5 year, $75 million deal, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The White Sox have confirmed the signing.
Last season, which also gave him an all star game selection, was spent between the Kansas City Royals and the Bronx for Benintendi. He posted a .304 batting average with a .772 OPS, adding 5 home runs and 51 RBI's in 126 games played. He missed the New York Yankees postseason run due to injury.
The contract for Benintendi is the largest free agent deal in White Sox history, surpassing the 4 year, $73 million deal that Yasmani Grandal signed for prior to the 2020 season. He earned his first all star game appearance thanks to a .320 average with the Royals alone, and was the runner up for the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year behind Aaron Judge.
Last season, the White Sox were plagued by a right handed heavy lineup and poor defense. The signing of Benintendi helps address both issues. He's a lefty hitter that is heavy on contact instead of power, and took home a gold glove in 2021, sure to help the White Sox, who went 81-81 in 2022.
Benintendi has played for the Boston Red Sox, along with the Royals and Yankees, in his 7 year big league career, taking home a championship with the 2018 Red Sox. He has a .279 batting average, .351 on base percentage, and .431 slugging percentage, adding 73 home runs and 384 RBI's in 745 games. He has two home runs and 9 RBI's to go with a .272 batting average in 21 career playoff games.
The move to bring in Benintendi will also have an affect on the coaching staff. New manager Pedro Grifol and major league field coordinator Mike Tosar were both with the Royals previously, and had connections with Benintendi, who was in Kansas City for all of 2021 and the first half of 2022.
So far this offseason, the addition of Benintendi is the second notable move for the White Sox in free agency, who also brought over Grifol and Tosar from the Royals, and signed starting pitcher Mike Clevinger in free agency.
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