The White Sox have reportedly reached an agreement with free agent infielder Nick Senzel on a major league contract. Senzel, who is represented by the Boras Corporation, was recently released by the Nationals. Chicago will need to make room on both the active and 40-man rosters once the deal is finalized, which may not happen until after the All-Star Break.
As the most clearly rebuilding team in MLB, the Sox are a logical landing spot for Senzel. The team has received the least production from their third basemen this season. Third basemen for the Sox have a batting line of .206/.246/.315 with six home runs and a 4.6% walk rate in 371 plate appearances. This is partly due to Yoán Moncada being on the injured list since early in the season. Even with Moncada close to returning from a minor league rehab assignment, there will be plenty of opportunities for Senzel in the Chicago infield.
Currently, the Sox have used Nicky Lopez, Paul DeJong, and Lenyn Sosa as their primary options alongside first baseman Andrew Vaughn. DeJong has hit 16 home runs and could be traded if there is interest over the next two weeks. Sosa and Lopez have struggled at the plate.
Both DeJong and Moncada are pending free agents. Lopez, who is in his final year of arbitration, could be a candidate for non-tender as he would be due a raise from his $4.3 million salary this year. It is possible that Chicago’s infield will look different next season.
While Senzel may not become a key player himself, there is little risk for Chicago in giving the former #2 overall pick a chance. Senzel has not lived up to expectations on offense or defense during his time in the MLB. With a career batting line of .235/.302/.368 over 1600 plate appearances, most of which were at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Injuries may have contributed to Senzel’s underwhelming performance, as he has not exceeded 420 plate appearances in a single season and has dealt with knee and toe problems with the Reds. Cincinnati struggled to find a permanent defensive position for him, impacting his development.
After being non-tendered by the Reds last winter, Senzel signed a $2 million free agent deal with the Nationals. Washington moved him back to third base in hopes of stabilizing his defense and unlocking his offensive potential, but the experiment did not yield positive results. Senzel batted .209/.303/.359 with below-average defensive ratings in 64 games before Washington decided to move on and give the position to rookie Trey Lipscomb.
The majority of Senzel’s contract is still owed by the Nationals. The White Sox will only pay the prorated portion of the $740K minimum salary for any time Senzel spends in the MLB, with Washington covering the rest. Senzel has surpassed the five-year service threshold, meaning he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent. If he performs well, he could be eligible for arbitration in the 2025 season.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported Senzel’s signing with the White Sox, while James Fegan of Sox Machine confirmed it was a major league deal.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
