Andrew

Benintendi

Benintendi drove in both runs with a single in the seventh that turned a 1-0 game into a 3-0 cushion for the White Sox. While the 31-year-old has performed well in spring, his lack of success over the past few years makes Benintendi someone fantasy managers can safely avoid; at least to begin the 2026 season.

Benintendi was scratched from Friday’s game because of soreness in his right side. The outfielder also told reporters that if this was the regular season he could play. It is very much not, but Benintendi should be ready in plenty of time for the regular season even if he doesn’t return Thursday.

No word on the severity of the injury, but it’s still early in spring training, so there is no need to rush a veteran like Benintendi onto the field.

It’s the same thing that put him on the IL for a couple of weeks in June 2024. Benintendi ends something of a bounce-back year with a .240/.307/.431 line and 20 homers in 116 games. It’s not great, but a 105 OPS+ and 1.0 bWAR is a significant improvement over his 91 OPS+ and -0.4 bWAR from his first two years in Chicago. Brooks Baldwin figures to pick up some playing time in his place this week.

It’s interesting as there haven’t been any rumblings about Benintendi dealing with any sort of injury, but this is the third straight contest that he has found himself on the bench for — all of them against right-handed pitching. He also has good career numbers against Padres’ starter Yu Darvish, so perhaps there is a physical issue holding him back a bit. Will Robertson will make his third consecutive start in left field and will bat eighth for the White Sox on Saturday evening.

The 31-year-old outfielder tagged Rico Garcia for a 404-foot (103.4 mph EV) two-run shot in the eighth inning that pulled the White Sox to within a run at 8-7. That would be as close as the comeback bid would get. Benintendi is quietly having a solid season for the White Sox, slashing .240/.306/.431 with 20 homer,s 62 RBI and one stolen base over 469 plate appearances. It’s the third time in his career that Benintendi has reached the 20-homer plateau though he has never exceeded it.

He grounded out against Cade Smith to end the game with the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Benintendi was on quite the two-week hot streak before going 0-for-11 with five strikeouts this weekend. Of course, he wasn’t the only White Sox hitter to struggle in a series in which the team scored three runs in 27 innings. After being swept, the White Sox will need to finish 6-6 to avoid another 100-loss season.

Benintendi got the White Sox on the board first with a two-run double off of veteran right-hander Charlie Morton in the top of the first. He also singled and walked twice in the contest, reaching base safely in four of his five plate appearances. On the season, the 31-year-old outfielder is slashing a solid .247/.312/.434 with 18 homers and 58 RBI.

The 31-year-old outfielder jumped on a 1-1 sinker from Bailey Horn and crushed a 399-foot (101.0 mph EV) solo shot that gave the White Sox a 5-4 advantage that they would never relinquish. That would be his only hit in four at-bats on the night. For the season, Benintendi is now slashing .244/.307/.430 with 18 long balls and 56 RBI.

Benintendi got the White Sox on the board with a 398-foot (107.0 mph EV) solo shot off of Simeon Woods Richardson in the second inning that tied the score at 1-1. He then delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning that gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead. He put the cherry on top of the lopsided victory with a 406-foot (104.0 mph EV) three-run blast off of Noah Davis in the eighth inning. With his four-hit night, the 31-year-old outfielder is now hitting .245/.307/.428 with 17 homers and 54 RBI on the season.