Andrew Benintendi agrees to five-year deal with White Sox

Andrew Benintendi agrees to five-year deal with White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have signed outfielder Andrew Benintendi. The deal is five years worth $75 million.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN was first to break the news.

News: OF Andrew Benintendi is in agreement with the Chicago White Sox on a 5 year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) December 16, 2022

The 28-year-old lefty played four months with the Kansas City Royals last season before the New York Yankees acquired him. It was his first All-star season, batting .304 with only five home runs but 140 hits in 126 games. The power numbers were career lows for Benintendi, but he set personal bests for batting average (.304), on-base percentage (.373), and wOBA (.342).

Benintendi set the bar high in his rookie season with the Boston Red Sox. He hit his career-high 20 home runs and was the Rookie of the Year runner-up behind Aaron Judge. Since then, the batting average and on-base percentage have been there, but he hasn’t played how he did in his first two seasons. Benintendi said he changed his approach because of it, and understood the importance of getting on base and finding the gaps over home runs.

“My approach right now is realizing I’m not going to hit 35 homers. It’s getting on base, be a tough out, see pitches, use the whole field. This year, it’s finally come together. Playing in Kauffman Stadium, too, it’s not easy to hit a ball out of there. Just spraying the ball all over the field. It was more just approach, trying to go straight right field, and then you’re susceptible to an off-speed pitch. I’m trying to go straight up the middle and if you’re early, you’re early. If you’re late, you’ve still got the left field line.”

Benintendi told The Athletic’s Eno Sarris and Zach Buchanan 

$75 million is a lot to give to a contact hitter. In fact, it’s the largest contract the White Sox has given out in franchise history. The previous record holder was catcher Yasmani Grandal with $73 million. Even if he doesn’t hit a lot of home runs, Benintendi is going to be a tough out in that White Sox lineup. His strikeout rate in 2022 was the lowest of his career at 14.8%. Benintendi also hasn’t struck out over 100 times since 2019 with the Red Sox.

He won’t transform the White Sox offense but provides a nice top-of-the-order bat who will also replace A.J. Pollock and Jose Abreu. It allows players like Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets to take over first base, with Benintendi out in left field.

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