Andrew Benintendi was supposed to help push the White Sox’ contending window wide open when he signed the biggest contract in team history in 2023.
Instead, he found himself along for the ride as the wheels fell off during one of the worst stretches of Sox history.
Benintendi has hardly helped prevent the 312 losses that have piled up since he made it to 35th and Shields, falling far short of the $75 million expectations set under ex-GM Rick Hahn’s tenure.
But the 31-year-old has flashed his former All-Star potential at the plate over the last month, finally contributing more than just his veteran wisdom to a roster packed with rookies — and helping power an improved squad that maybe, just maybe, can avoid triple-digit losses for a third straight season.
Benintendi hit his 19th home run of the season in the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Rays, which he entered hitting .279/.336/.414 over the past month with four homers and 16 RBI.
BENNY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/y8Q0acv5rh
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 11, 2025
That included a torrid .360/.452/.760 stretch over the past week as the Sox won five of seven games, keeping their hopes alive of dodging the century mark for losses yet again. They’ll have to play roughly .500 ball over their final three weeks to do that.
Not that they’re all that worried about it, especially as they run a good 20 games ahead of the pace of last year’s all-time worst, 121-loss team.
“Maybe it’s in the back of our minds, but not really,” Benintendi said last month as he started heating up at the plate in Kansas City. “Especially coming off last year, we eclipsed that thing, that number already, so I think we’re just going to try to win as many games as possible.”
“If it ends up you don’t lose 100, or even if you lose it, baby steps,” he added.
Benintendi is sure to be taking those steps into the rebuilding future along with his younger teammates — whether general manager Chris Getz likes it or not, unless owner Jerry Reinsdorf is willing to eat a big chunk of money.
There wasn’t a whisper of trade talk around Benintendi at the deadline earlier this summer thanks to the $32.2 million remaining on the final two years of his contract through 2027.
He’s posted a pedestrian .248/.312/.433 line this year overall with 18 homers, marginally better than his first two years with the Sox. Benintendi socked 20 dingers last year, after just five in his first season on the South Side.
But there aren’t any outfielders knocking on the door from Triple-A Charlotte. The Sox’ top prospect, outfielder Braden Montgomery, shined this year at Double-A Birmingham but figures to be at least another year away from making it to the show.
Getz’ rebuild so far has been powered by infielders Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas, plus catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. And they’ll have a bevy of starting pitching prospects to sort through next spring in Arizona.
That figures to leave Benintendi in line steady playing time, either in left field where the former Gold Glover has lost a step, or at designated hitter on a team that still needs more power.
Manager Will Venable isn’t complaining.
“Benny’s very consistent in everything that he does. He’s just a presence in our clubhouse, a presence on the field and just extremely reliable,” Venable said. “And he wants to play. He’s a guy that always wants to be out there, and more of a quiet leader. But watching him just kind of continue to work on his craft, go through his ups and downs and continue to put himself in a good spot to produce for has been awesome.”