Andrew Benintendi, an All-Star outfielder, has finalized a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox as of Tuesday. The 28-year-old is set to receive a $3 million signing bonus, with a salary structure paying him $8 million in 2023, $16.5 million annually from 2024 to 2026, and $14.5 million in 2027.
Benintendi, who contributed to Boston’s 2018 World Series win, earned a Gold Glove with Kansas City in 2021. He achieved his first All-Star selection last season before the Royals traded him to the Yankees in late July.
Benintendi posted a career-best .304 batting average across 126 games, although his home run count dipped from 17 in 2021 to five. During his 33-game stint with New York, he hit .254 but missed the postseason due to a fractured right wrist.
Over seven seasons with Boston, Kansas City, and New York, Benintendi has maintained a .279 average with 73 home runs. In Chicago, he will reconnect with manager Pedro Grifol, who joined the White Sox after a decade in various coaching roles with the Royals.
The White Sox, aiming for a rebound after an even 81-81 season, hope Benintendi’s addition will help them recapture their 2021 division-winning form.
