ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) 鈥� The Chicago White Sox signed veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk to a one-year, $1.25 million deal on Monday and placed outfielder Austin Hays back on the 10-day injured list because of a left calf strain.
Grichuk, who elected free agency after being by the New York Yankees last week, should give the White Sox a solid right-handed bat against left-handed pitchers.
The 34-year-old is a career .268 hitter with an .816 OPS, 79 homers and 220 RBIs in 1,569 at-bats against left-handers over 13 big-league seasons, including a .317 average and .940 OPS against them from 2022-2024.
鈥淚t kind of came together last second,鈥� Grichuk said before Monday night鈥檚 series opener against the Los Angeles Angels. 鈥淲e were talking to a few other teams and were about to get something done when they came into the mix. It鈥檚 a young, exciting team that is playing good baseball, so we felt like it was a good spot.鈥�
The White Sox lost at least 100 games in each of the past three years 鈥� including a major league-record 121 losses in 2024 鈥� but they entered Monday with a 16-18 record, thanks in part to the potent bat of new first baseman Munetaka Murakami鈥檚 13 homers and 26 RBIs.
鈥淎ny time you get a chance to throw on the jersey and compete and keep playing, it鈥檚 an honor,鈥� said Grichuk, a 2009 first-round pick of the Angels who is playing for his sixth team in four years.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e had some tough years here, but they鈥檙e on the up-and-up. They鈥檝e got a lot of good guys, and I鈥檓 excited to grind with them.鈥�
Hays missed most of April because of a right hamstring strain. He and played three games before suffering a calf injury that is expected to sideline him for at least two weeks.
鈥淲ith Hays going down, we needed a right-handed outfielder,鈥� Chicago manager Will Venable said. 鈥�(Grichuk) fit the roster, he was available, and we feel really lucky that we got him. He鈥檚 a guy with a ton of experience who has performed really well in his league.鈥�
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