White Sox to sign outfielder Austin Hays
White Sox general manager Chris Getz has acted fast in addressing the outfield, signing outfielder Austin Hays to a one-year, $6 million deal plus incentives.
Hays, a one-time All-Star in 2023, batted .266/.315/.453 with 15 homers over 103 games with the Reds last season. Hays brings a veteran presence to a Sox outfield that was going to rely on unproven young players.
He will be a big help against left-handed hitters. Hays slashed .319/.400/.549 with a .949 OPS against lefties last season. Hays has made 406 career starts in left field and 109 in right field throughout his career. Getz said at the general managers' meetings that Andrew Benintendi was likely going to spend more time at the designated hitter spot this season.
After trading Luis Robert Jr. the Sox were thin in the outfield. It's likely that Luisangel Acuna will get some runway in center field, but there weren't many proven options for manager Will Venable. The Sox have outfielders Derek Hill, Tristan Peters and Everson Pereira are on the 40-man roster, but all come with their own warts.
Hays is a proven hitter with a track record of past performance that the Sox needed in their outfield.