Encarnacion, White Sox finalize deal
Former Blue Jays slugger hammered 34 home runs in 109 games last season
CHICAGO— Edwin Encarnacion saw the young players the Chicago White Sox have and a bright future for a team eyeing a run at the American League Central championship after seven straight losing seasons. That’s why he chose to be a part of it.
Encarnacion and the White Sox finalized a one-year, $12million (U.S.) contract on Thursday, putting him in position to become Chicago’s designated hitter and a part-time first baseman along with Jose Abreu.
Encarnacion is due $12 million this season, and the White Sox hold a $12 million option for 2021 under the deal, which was agreed to Dec. 25 subject to a successful physical.
“I’m very excited to be part of this team, I think this team has a great future,” he said. “To be here and try to help this team to go where we want to go and make the playoffs.”
Encarnacion hit 34 home runs in 109 games for Seattle and the Yankees last year. The threetime all-star led the American League with 21 homers when the Mariners dealt him to New York in June.
The Yankees declined a $25million option for next season, opting to pay a $5-million buyout.
Limited by oblique problems, Encarnacion hit .249 with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in 44 regular-season games with New York. He batted .308 while the Yankees beat Minnesota in their AL division series, but was 1-for-18 with 11 strikeouts in the AL Championship Series against Houston.
Encarnacion, who turned 37 on Tuesday, has eight straight seasons with more than 30 homers. He has 414 homers in 15 years with Cincinnati, Toronto, Cleveland, Seattle and New York.
Last year he became the first major-leaguer to play on three continents in one season, opening the season in Tokyo with the Mariners and going to London in June with the Yankees.
“Edwin is a professional hitter, someone who makes each and every at-bat count,” general Rick Hahn said in a statement.
“His long track record of power is impressive and as a veteran run producer, Edwin adds another threatening bat to our lineup, lengthening our batting order.”