Andrew

Benintendi

The White Sox might actually be able to get out from under some of Benintendi’s contract this summer if this keeps up. He’s hit .284/.360/.597 in June to improve to .247/.302/.443 overall. That he has no real defensive value is a problem, so the White Sox will certainly have to pay down a part of the $14.5 million he’s owed in the final year of his deal next season. Still, things are looking up from where they were a couple of months ago, when it seemed the team might be best served by just releasing him.

Benintendi strolled to the dish as a pinch hitter for Randal Grichuk with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning with the score knotted at one run apiece. He then jumped on a first-pitch sinker from Camilo Doval and clobbered his 393-foot (99.7-mph EV) game-changing blast. On the season, the 31-year-old outfielder is now slashing .242/.301/.440 with nine long balls and 37 RBI.

Benintendi hit his seventh homer of the season off of Roki Sasaki in the first inning to give the White Sox an early 1-0 lead. It was the only homer the White Sox would manage on the evening despite an eight-run outburst that included a five-run fifth inning against Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki. Benintendi is slashing .250/.382/.571 on the month with three homers and six RBI.

There’s something about Benintendi and the Twins. He has 17 homers against the franchise, which is six more than he has against any other club. 13 of those have come in 44 games at Target Field. Today’s game saw him draw three walks for the first time since 2022 and reach base safely five times for the first time since 2023. Benintendi also homered Monday, and he raised his OPS from .660 to .711 over the course of the three-game series.

With left-hander Framber Valdez on the mound for Detroit, this is a game that Benintendi probably would not have started if not for Munetaka Murakami’s injury. He did double off Valdez, though, before eventually putting the game away with a two-run homer off Beau Breiske that made it 7-1 in the eighth. Benintendi struck out in his other two at-bats. He is hitting .236/.283/.388 with four homers through 181 plate appearances.

Benintendi is back at DH and hitting sixth after sitting out Sunday’s contest against Seattle with neck stiffness. It doesn’t appear to be a significant concern moving forward. The 31-year-old corner outfielder is hitting an underwhelming .235/.272/.365 with two homers and 17 RBI across 36 games this season. He can be safely ignored in most fantasy leagues.

Benintendi was scratched from Saturday’s lineup due to stiffness in his neck. The 31-year-old outfielder is considered day-to-day. Once again, Randal Grichuk will start in his place as the White Sox’ designated hitter and will bat eighth against Mariners’ right-hander Logan Gilbert.

Benintendi was set to DH and batting sixth. Randal Grichuk replaced him in the lineup, just because the White Sox feel the need to play one nominal outfielder whose best year came pre-COVID.

Benintendi had a couple of hits including a three-run homer on Thursday night, so it’s a bit surprising to see him out of the lineup against an opposing right-hander on Friday evening. Perhaps the White Sox know something that we don’t and expect a left-hander to work bulk innings in the game. Everson Pereira will slide up to the leadoff spot in his absence against what’s expected to be Miles Mikolas for the Nationals.

Benintendi’s 410-foot fly off Paul Sewald was his second homer of the season. He’s hitting just .216/.266/.392 with a 35 percent strikeout rate, but the White Sox have been letting him lead off and DH against right-handers. It’s quite the long shot, but they’d love to see him get hot and open up the possibility that someone might want him in trade, even if the White Sox would surely have to pick up most of the ~$28 million remaining on his contract to make it happen.