The Chicago White Sox needed to shore up their outfield during the offseason, and managed to land an underrated asset in Andrew Benintendi.
The former Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees player put pen to paper on a five-year, $75 million contract.
The agreement was announced in December, but the deal is now official after he aced his physical.
“Outfielder Andrew Benintendi passes his physical and his five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago #WhiteSox is official. The press conference is Wednesday morning. Contract details: Signing bonus: $3M 2023: $8M. 2024: $16.5M; 2025: $16.5M; 2026: $16.5M; 2027: $14.5M,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
Outfielder Andrew Benintendi passes his physical and his five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago #WhiteSox is official.
The press conference is Wednesday morning.
Contract details:
Signing bonus: $3M
2023: $8M.
2024: $16.5M
2025: $16.5M
2026: $16.5M
2027: $14.5M— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 3, 2023
It’s a nice payday for a player who couldn’t be on the Yankees’ postseason roster with a wrist injury.
He is now over the ailment and ready to justify his hefty price tag in the South Side of Chicago.
Between the Royals and Yankees, Benintendi slashed .304/.373/.399 with a 122 wRC+ (100 is considered league-average offensive performance, and anything higher is better) and 2.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
He scored 54 runs, drove in 51, hit five home runs, and stole eight bases.
The 28-year-old has flashed 20-homer power in the past, though, and the White Sox would surely love to see him finishing at least in the teens.
In any case, his bat should be an asset to an already dangerous lineup that also has Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, and Tim Anderson.
Benintendi is young and should remain relatively productive for the duration of his deal.
He will certainly be missed in the Bronx, where the left field picture is murky.
NEXT: Will The White Sox Contend In 2023?
