SEATTLE — Competitive baseball and a competent batting line? It was supposed to be like this a lot sooner for the White Sox and Andrew Benintendi.
In the fourth year of the five-year, $75 million deal that still marks the biggest in franchise history, the veteran left fielder/designated hitter has swung a strong bat during his squad’s May resurgence.
Benintendi entered play Tuesday hitting .289/.346/.400 over his last 15 games, which have capped the Sox’ best stretch since he got to the South Side.
“It’s awesome,” said Benintendi, who hit the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning of the Sox’ 2-1 victory against the Mariners on Tuesday night. “We have fun. It’s energy every single day. The expectation now versus in the past — it was like, be competitive. And now, it’s to win. I think there’s a lot of confidence in here.”
The bar was low for the 31-year-old, whose first three underperforming seasons with the Sox cratered with MLB’s modern-era record for losses in 2024.
“In ‘24, that bad year, you’d show up and guys would be like, ‘Oh, another loss,’” Benintendi said. “Guys are obviously pissed now when we lose, so the expectations took pretty much a 180, which is great.”
While still generally riding the bench against lefty starters, Benintendi has provided some pop in the middle of manager Will Venable’s order with three homers, seven doubles and 19 RBI. He has slashed .239/.291/.388 in 43 games this year.
“I’ve become a little more selective up there,” he said. “More willing to take a single. I’m trying to stay through the middle of the field a little more. It all comes down to the pitches you swing at. Even when things go bad for me, I feel like usually I’m fouling those off, but during this stretch, I’m putting the ball in play.”
Illinois connections
Journeyman reliever Trevor Richards has had a rocky few outings since signing with the Sox earlier this month, including the three-run homer he served up late in Monday’s loss. But he’s got some neighborly support in the locker room.
Richards, who lives in downstate Aviston and has family in suburban Downers Grove, joins two other Illinois natives on the team: utility player Sam Antonacci of Springfield and left-hander Bryan Hudson of Alton.
Home-state allegiances aside, Richards’ silver mane stands out on a youthful squad.
“It’s cool to be back in a group that’s young and energetic and kind of brings a new life to it,” said Richards, 33. “It’s fun. I feel like, as you get up there and you go through some older teams, you kind of get away from that. So coming back into a clubhouse like this has really been enjoyable.
“I’m learning from them as well. I think everyone’s always learning, especially in the big leagues.”
Coming and going
The Sox transferred catcher Kyle Teel to the 60-day injured list with a strained knee ligament and acquired left-hander Joe Rock from Tampa Bay in exchange for Triple-A Charlotte infielder Oliver Dunn on Tuesday.
Teel rejoined the team in Seattle a day after the Sox announced his injury setback, which could sideline him another six weeks after working his way back from a pulled hamstring.
Rock made three relief appearances for the Rays in his debut season last year, and he was 1-1 in 13 outings this year at Triple-A Durham with a 5.40 ERA.
Meanwhile, outfielder Austin Hays began a rehab assignment at Charlotte on his way back from the calf strain he suffered May 1, just a few days after returning from a separate injured-list stint for a hamstring pull. The veteran offseason addition has hit .233/.250/.326 with a homer in the 12 games he’s played for the Sox.
Hays won’t see reliever Osvaldo Bido, whom the Sox released from Charlotte to allow him pursue playing opportunities in Japan. The team DFA’d Bido after he struggled to a 6.23 ERA in five outings with the Sox.