The Boston Red Sox have recieved serious backlash for the amount of star players that the organization have moved on from since the 2018 World Series championship — and rightfully so.
However, there was at least one player fans should be grateful that the front office moved on from, despite how beloved he was in Boston.
“The (Chicago) White Sox are openly shopping outfielder Andrew Benintendi, and would love to get out of his contract. He’s still owed nearly $50 million from 2025-2027,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday.
Benintendi is hitting .201 with 12 extra-base hits including six home runs, 22 RBIs and a .557 OPS (58 OPS+) in 63 games this season. If you go by various WAR platforms, he’s unanimously one of the worst players in baseball thus far.
The 29-year-old has a .244/.304/.342 slash line with a .649 OPS (79 OPS+) since signing the largest contract in White Sox history — five years, $75 million.
Prior to calling Chicago home, Benintendi has a career .279 average with a .782 OPS (109 OPS+) across seven seasons. He racked up an All-Star appearance, Gold Glove and was an important piece of the 2018 World Series roster.
At this juncture, it’s hard to envision a scenario where an opposing club would trade for Benintendi, even if the White Sox were willing to absorb a chunk of his deal.
Not many organizations will clamor for one of the worst players in the league from a statistical standpoint who also carries a high-priced long-term contract.
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