Slater Contract Signals Quiet Free-Agent Strategy For White Sox

The White Sox have made their deal with free-agent outfielder Austin Slater official. Slater signed a one-year deal worth $1.75 million that includes $500,000 in performance bonuses, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray. Murray added that Slater’s physical was completed without any issues. 

In an interview with James Feegan, Slater said that the White Sox were the first team to reach out to him and that he was told he was their “top target.” While his $1.75 million salary doesn’t seem like much, he is in line to be the fifth highest-paid position player on the team behind only Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., Gavin Sheets, and Andrew Vaughn. Sheets and Vaughn are both arbitration-eligible so their exact salary is unknown but if they are retained they should make anywhere from $2-5 million. 

Slater owns a career slash line of .252/.342/.385 after eight seasons in the MLB. During that stretch, he has hit 40 home runs driven in 171 RBIs, and stolen 48 bases. The White Sox were attached to his high walk rate and splits against left-handed pitching. He figures to be in some sort of platoon role in right field.

Hearing that a player with a career .728 OPS was the White Sox's top free agent target may be frustrating for fans. However, Chris Getz is doing exactly what he said he was going to do. Getz joined the White Sox television booth during a September 13 home game against the A’s and said that the team was going to have plenty of returning players despite their 33-115 record at the time.  

"We’re not gonna be working heavy in free agency. We’ve got guys on the field right now who need to improve their game,” Getz said. 

Getz has also stated that most of the trades and moves he makes this offseason will be centered around improving the offense. With Slater Getz believes he has accomplished both of his goals, signing a player with potential upside for cheap.

He took a similar approach last season bringing in players like Nicky Lopez, Martin Maldonado, Paul DeJong, and Dominic Fletcher to try and make the team better defensively, while also taking fliers on pitchers like Erick Fedde and Chris Flexen. If this move is any indication, it is going to be a boring offseason for White Sox fans hoping for any big-name signings.