UPDATE: The White Sox announced the signing of Grichuk as part of three moves ahead of Monday’s game:
- Placed OF Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 2) with a left calf strain;
- Agreed to terms with OF Randal Grichuk on a one-year, $1.25 million contract;
- Transferred INF/OF Tanner Murray to the 60-day injured list.
The White Sox have added more outfield depth, agreeing with Randal Grichuk on a major league deal.
Grichuk, 34, signed a minor league deal with the Yankees this offseason, but struggled to establish a consistent role with the team. Across 16 games, the veteran outfielder hit .194/.212/.323 with four doubles, two RBI, and a .535 OPS before being designated for assignment in late April. After clearing waivers, Grichuk elected free agency on May 1st rather than accepting an outright assignment.
When Grichuk joined New York, his deal included a $2.5 million salary once he was added to the major league roster. Because he also has at least five years of MLB service time, Grichuk had the right to reject an outright assignment while keeping his guaranteed salary. As a result, the White Sox will only have to pay the prorated portion of the $780,000 league minimum for however long he remains on the roster. That amount will be deducted from what remains of the $2.5MM that the Yankees still owe.
Grichuk’s addition to the Sox signals an upcoming subtraction from the team’s ever-evolving outfield picture. One possibility is a return to the injured list for Austin Hays, who has made just two starts since being activated last Monday. The veteran had his Triple-A rehab assignment cut short after Tanner Murray landed on the IL with a dislocated shoulder, though it remains unclear whether Hays had fully recovered from his right hamstring strain.
Elsewhere in the outfield, Jarred Kelenic recently took over for Everson Pereira, who also hit the shelf with a right pectoral strain. Kelenic has yet to make much of an impact, going 1-for-6 through his first three games, though his lone hit was quickly erased after getting picked off.
Luisangel Acuna has also gotten off to a slow start, hitting .169/.235/.182 over his first 27 games. Acuna may get a slightly longer runway than a minor-league signee like Kelenic or a waiver claim such as Derek Hill, but he’s done very little to help his cause since coming over in the Luis Robert Jr. trade.
Regardless of how the situation ultimately plays out, most of the names just mentioned are likely placeholders until top prospect Braden Montgomery is ready to join the team. With a promotion expected sometime this summer, especially after his recent call-up to Triple-A, the signing of Grichuk figures to simply be a stopgap for the next few weeks.
Once the Sox make a corresponding roster move, we’ll provide further updates.
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Featured Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
