The White Sox should consider this Yankees outfielder

The American League Central Division is again showing that it is not particularly strong and that is a benefit for the Chicago White Sox.

Nonetheless, to separate itself from the pack and get back into the conversation of serious contenders for the AL pennant, the White Sox still needs to make upgrades. One could come via trade with the best team in baseball right now.

Reports are surfacing around outfielder Miguel Andujar and how he wants a trade from the New York Yankees after being sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a few weeks ago.

Although the Yankees have not confirmed that Andujar wants out, manager Aaron Boone did say the move was a result of “a tough numbers game”. His demotion opened a spot for Giancarlo Stanton’s return from a stint on the injured list.

Stanton’s reactivation, the return of Josh Donaldson from the COVID-19 injured list, and the likes of Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo, Aaron Hicks, and Matt Carpenter already on the roster created the aforementioned “numbers game” which left Andujar as the odd man out.

The Chicago White Sox would be wise to consider landing Miguel Andujar.

Could a change of scenery be the type of thing that helps Andujar’s career? It could be and the White Sox are considered one of many teams who are doing their homework into seeing what type of package it could take to land him.

While the White Sox continue to hover around the .500 mark, questions remain about what the team should do to bolster the roster.

Danny Mendick, Jake Burger, AJ Pollock, and Johnny Cueto have performed well in the absence of injured starters but does the team’s front office believe enough in these guys to stand pat, or are there deals that can be made to turn this team back into a contender?

If they are looking to make a deal for an everyday outfielder, Andujar could be an interesting player to kick the tires on.

Andujar had a terrific 2018 season which saw him belt 27 homers, drive in 92 runs, and post a slash line of .297/.328/.527 leading to a second-place finish behind Shohei Ohtani for AL Rookie of the Year. However, Andujar had surgery in 2019 for a torn labrum and played in only 12 games that season.

The 2022 season has been a difficult one as Andujar has had to keep a suitcase packed at all times as he has been traveling back and forth between the parent club and Triple-A on several occasions.

The 27-year-old has only appeared in 12 games thus far and has totaled no home runs and a line of .268/.279/.317 in 41 at-bats.

If Andujar is picked up by the White Sox and can turn back into the player from a couple of years ago, it would provide a productive bat for a lineup in need of more offense.

Once Eloy Jimenez returns from his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, he can ease back into the lineup as the designated hitter while Andujar patrols left field and Andrew Vaughn takes right field.

Depending on matchups, manager Tony La Russa would have some options to go with as he could rotate Vaughn, Jimenez, Andujar, and Abreu at the DH. He could also find combinations that work Pollock and Adam Engel into right field.

Andujar is under contract with the Yankees this season at $1.3 million and has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before becoming a free agent in 2025. It is certainly something to consider.