White Sox Release Second Baseman Brett Lawrie
By Rob Hill
White Sox release veteran infielder one week into Spring Training games. The often injured infielder wasn’t able to play full season for South Siders in 2016.
Friday morning a shocking piece of information was released from Chicago White Sox camp in Glendale, Arizona: Brett Lawrie was put on waivers and granted his unofficial release from the club.
The Lawrie era on the south side was brief and injury plagued. Lawrie, 27, was acquired last offseason from the Oakland Athletics in hopes to bolster their middle infield in hope of contending for a playoff spot. Lawrie only played 94 games last season for the Sox and posted below expectation numbers.
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His .248/.310/.413 slash line was complimented by 12 home runs and 36 RBIs. Lawrie has not been on a baseball diamond since last July. The fiery and energetic Lawrie injured his left hamstring and has not recovered from the injury since. Lawrie has yet to have an official at bat in spring training this season.
Although this news comes as a surprise to many, it makes a lot more sense for the White Sox front office to do when you break it down. With the recent acquisition of top prospect Yoan Moncada, who is slated to be the future second baseman, Lawrie’s stay in Chicago was bound to be up sooner rather than later.
On top of that, utility infielder Tyler Saladino shined last season in the absence of Lawrie in the second half of the season hitting .282 with eight home runs, 38 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Saladino will now take over the starting second base job while newly named Yolmer Sanchez will be the back up until Moncada is major league ready.
Lawrie settled his arbitration case this past offseason and was set to make $3.5 million this season. It is unclear how much the White Sox will pay of that salary, but it will be worth it to create a roster spot for someone else either on the 40 man roster or 25 man MLB roster.
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With potential still yet untapped, Lawrie will have no choice but to take his electrifying personality and injury plagued career somewhere else.