The White Sox are reportedly in agreement with the free agent pitcher Nick Senzel to a major league contract. Senzel, a Boras Corporation client, was released by National last week. Chicago will need to make room on the 40-man roster once the move is finalized, which likely won't happen until after the All-Star Break.
As MLB's clearest rebuilding team, the Sox are a perfect fit for Senzel. No team has gotten less from their third basemen this year. In 371 plate appearances, the Sox third basemen are hitting .206/.246/.315 with six home runs and a 4.6% walk rate. That's partly because Yoan Moncada has been on the injured list since the second week of the season. However, even with Moncada in the minor league rehab phase and coming back, there is plenty of opportunity for Senzel in the Chicago area.
The Sox turned around Nicky Lopez, Paul DeJong again Lenny Sosa as their primary options beside the first baseman Andrew Vaughn. DeJong has hit 16 homers and will definitely be dealt if the Sox can record any level of trade interest over the next two weeks. Sosa and Lopez were below average hitters.
DeJong and Moncada are upcoming free agents. (The latter has a $25MM non-exercise club option.) Lopez will receive this year's $4.3MM salary increase in his final year of arbitration, making him a non-tender. Chicago's infield could look very different next year.
Senzel is a tall player who will emerge as a key piece in his own right, but there is little risk that Chicago will look to the #2 starting option. The one-time top prospect has yet to meet expectations on either side of the ball in his five-plus MLB seasons. He is a career .235/.302/.368 hitter in just over 1600 major league plate appearances. Much of that has come at one of the sport's most popular venues in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park.
Injuries probably played a role in reducing Senzel's production. He never topped 420 plate appearances in a season and battled knee and toe problems during his time with the Reds. Cincinnati also pounded him around the diamond without much success in an attempt to maximize his defensive versatility.
After Senzel went undrafted by the Reds last winter, he landed with the Nationals on a $2MM free agent deal. Washington moved him back to his usual third base in hopes that a more stable defensive setup would allow him to unlock some of his offense. That's not how things played out. Senzel hit .209/.303/.359 with below-average defensive numbers over 64 games. Washington decided to go ahead and convert third base to the rookie Trey Lipscomb.
The Nationals are making headlines for Senzel's big contract. The White Sox will only pay him a split portion of the $740K minimum for any time he spends in the major leagues (which comes out of Washington's obligations). Senzel exceeded the five-year service limit earlier this season. That means he can no longer be sent to small groups without his permission. He could be eligible for compensation in the 2025 campaign if he plays well enough to hold down a roster spot.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported that Senzel was signing with the White Sox. James Fegan of the Sox Machine reported that it was a major league deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
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