On Sunday night, the news came out that Elvis Andrus was being signed by the Chicago White Sox. He was returning there on a one-year deal after having a strong finish with them in 2022 coming over from the Oakland A's.
However, that can't be a reason to forget about Andrew Benintendi. Bringing him in was Rick Hahn's big move of the off-season as the team tries to improve after a very disappointing year in 2022. He is going to be the full-time left fielder as long as he is healthy.
Benintendi is also a player that can hit in any slot of the starting lineup. However, you can probably expect to see him somewhere in the top four. At this point in time, starting off in the two-hole feels like the likeliest option.
Benintendi has spent his career with the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. He was a World Series champion with Boston in 2018 with the Red Sox and he played a key role for them. It was one of the greatest teams in MLB history for a variety of reasons.
Andrew Benintendi is going to really help the Chicago White Sox.
That kind of experience is going to really help this team grow into a much better team than they were in 2022. He isn't much of a power hitter but he hits for contact well and plays solid defense in the outfield.
Spotted at Camelback Ranch: Andrew Benintendi pic.twitter.com/wdbSAS9zru
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 17, 2023
Andrew Benintendi arrives at #WhiteSox camp pic.twitter.com/Ymo2qCwmTv
— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) February 20, 2023
Kendall Graveman vs. Andrew Benintendi pic.twitter.com/Fb41Ww35hu
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) February 20, 2023
As position players started to show up to spring training, it was really exciting to see Andrew Benintendi in White Sox colors.
He has begun to take some swings and began his workouts to get his spring going. It is very exciting to see him get going in White Sox colors ahead of what promises to be a good season for him.
Andrew Benintendi is not Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, or even Tim Anderson. However, he is an above-average player that can help this team win baseball games.
If he plays to his potential, and his new home field helps him drive the ball out of the park just a tad bit more, he is going to have a fantastic year. The White Sox are better for having him than if he wasn't there.