All-Star Outfielder Finds New Home With Five-Year Deal

The top remaining free agent outfielder, Andrew Benintendi, is on his way to the Windy City, agreeing to a lengthy five-year deal with the Chicago White Sox.

Andrew Benintendi's deal with the Chicago White Sox is for five years and $75 million, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 16, 2022

The deal is worth $75M for the 2022 All-Star, representing a huge increase from what he was expected to find heading into the offseason. He was projected to land anything up to a four-year deal worth in the $50-$55M range. In the end, he'll earn $15M annually on the package. The New York Yankees wanted him back, but obviously weren't prepared to go to those lengths to do so.

The Yankees would have liked to have Andrew Benintendi back, but I'm told they *really* preferred not to do five years w/ the left fielder, and perhaps at less money per year.

Grumblings had been that tho Benintendi liked time w/ Yankees, he may have preferred to go elsewhere

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) December 16, 2022

The White Sox were in desperate need of an outfielder, as they're expected to move Andrew Vaughn full-time to first base and 35-year-old AJ Pollock is a free agent. 

Benintendi registered his first All-Star season this past year, putting up a .320 average with a .387 on-base percentage in the first four months of the season with the Kansas City Royals. New White Sox manager Pedro Grifol had a front-row seat for that performance, as the bench coach in Kansas City. 

Following his trade to the Yankees, he hit .254 the rest of the way, with a .734 OPS and two home runs, getting on-base at a .331 clip. He finished the year hitting .304 with a .373 on-base.

His career numbers over his seven seasons in the majors are a .279 average with a .351 on-base and a .782 OPS. 

Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports