This past week saw the Chicago White Sox make a bevy of moves that are aimed at enhancing the team and turning it into a contender. One of those moves may seem small but could turn out to be a bigger move should the stars align, and everything turn out the way that we hope it does. It might just be one of the biggest moves of the offseason for the Sox.
The White Sox signed outfielder Kevin Pillar to a minor league deal the other day. Pillar has played for a bevy of teams during his 11-year career including the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Atlanta Braves. This well-traveled journeyman-type player is 35 years old but appears to have something left in the tank.
The White Sox will lose virtually nothing by signing Pillar to a minor league deal. If he doesn’t make the Major League squad, he can hang out in the minor leagues until the White Sox need him. That’s the plan. But the White Sox might need him sooner than later and could bring him up to the top early in the season.
Looking at his stats, Pillar has a lifetime slash line of .257/.294/.409. He comes in having hit a total of 106 home runs in 3804 at-bats. He’s not been a terribly productive hitter, but he has had his moments. Where the White Sox may need him most is in the outfield. Aside from Luis Robert Jr., and maybe Andrew Benintendi, the White Sox don’t have a lot of great depth there. The Sox might see Pillar as a depth piece and utilize him in the outfield during the season unless there is a better option.
Of course, any and everyone in the outfield must hit so there is that to think about. The White Sox take into consideration just how well Pillar does at the plate and if he rocks it there, he will be called up in no time.
I think that you can look for Pillar to be on the Major League roster at some point during the season. Maybe not right away, but later in the year. I think he joins the team a little bit after the start of the year when injuries hit and they figure some things out in the outfield.
What exactly is the state of the White Sox outfield? Robert Jr., and Benintendi, by virtue of his contract amount, are locks to be in the outfield when the season starts. One spot is still a little bit up in the air.
Players like Gavin Sheets may claim that spot but if Pillar can step up and play well in spring training, he might be able to send Sheets to a backup spot. Pillar has the experience and has been in this rodeo a long time. Perhaps that experience will prove valuable and earn him a spot on the Major League roster when it’s all said and done.
I think that the White Sox got a true find when they signed Pillar. I think he’ll make an appearance on the Sox Major League roster and could be a mainstay in the majors for a better part of the season.