GLENDALE, Ariz. — General manager Chris Getz had a conversation with Chicago White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi in September, looking ahead to 2024.
“I think one of the focuses for him was to physically improve his body to be more athletic defensively, certainly offensively, and it’s shown so far,” Getz said Tuesday. “It’s definitely, from my standpoint, an encouraging sign.”
With some nagging injuries behind him, Benintendi is gearing up for his second season with the Sox.
“For me, obviously last year wasn’t the best year, dealt with some things throughout the year that may have hindered some things,” Benintendi said. “But feeling good now, looking forward to getting back out there and winning baseball games.”
Benintendi, 29, slashed .262/.326/.356 with 34 doubles, five home runs, 45 RBIs and 72 runs in 151 games in 2023.
When his five-year, $75 million contract was announced in January 2023, Benintendi had been bouncing back from a broken hook of the hamate bone in his right hand suffered in September 2022 with the New York Yankees. And he played through some right hand soreness during the ’23 season.
“Those little nagging injuries, they seem small at the time, but they linger for a while,” Benintendi said. “You’ve just got to play through it. Obviously, the results probably won’t be the same. But being out there and grinding through things, showing up and being in the lineup goes a long way, mentally, for a player and the guys around you. That was my focus. But definitely feel better this year and looking forward to getting out there.
“I definitely feel good. Added a little bit of weight. I think this was one of my best offseasons, as far as working out and getting stronger. We’ll see how it translates, hopefully it does. Time will tell.”
Manager Pedro Grifol said Benintendi looks “bigger” and “stronger.”
“He’s in a really good spot,” Grifol said. “He’s put on some good weight. He’s healthy, which is a big deal. He wasn’t that healthy last year. He had that hand thing that kind of hurt him in the offseason where he couldn’t lift that much. He came in a little light. He tried to do it through the year, but he still had the hand thing. He’s completely healthy.”
Benintendi has played at a Gold Glove Award level, earning the honor in 2021 with the Kansas City Royals. The next season, he was an All-Star and finished with a .304 average splitting time with the Royals and Yankees.
While some numbers took a dip last season, Benintendi did lead the Sox in a few categories like hits (147), walks (52) and on-base percentage while matching his career high in games played.
“Benintendi wasn’t right last year,” Grifol said. “Physically, it just wasn’t right. It started with the hand and it just nagged him all year. At times really, really painful. I’ve seen this guy play, I’ve seen close to 900 at-bats. This guy’s a player.
“He’s a smart player, he’s a winner. Knows his role, can stay in that role, can go out of that role and go into another role. You are going to see a good Benintendi this year — he’s got those eyes that, there’s something for him to show Chicago that they haven’t seen yet.”
Benintendi is concentrating on helping the Sox get going in the right direction again.
“Obviously last year didn’t go as planned,” Benintendi said. “But just turn the page and focus on this year and get better each day. A lot of us have been here (at spring camp) for a few days now, just getting to know everybody, a lot of new faces. Just starting to build that chemistry.
“You ask any baseball player, you have to have a short memory. If you don’t, it’ll eat at you for a long time. I think a lot of us are looking to redeem ourselves and get back out there and prove people wrong.”
Getz sees a “locked in and motivated” Benintendi.
“I know he’s excited about the future here with the White Sox,” Getz said. “He’s a very capable player, well-rounded. He can defend, he can run the bases, he’s got on-base ability. His bat-to-ball skills are strong.
“We’ll just continue to keep him on track.”
