CHICAGO — The White Sox are in agreement on a one-year free agent contract with outfielder Austin Hays, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The deal is reportedly worth $6 million plus incentives, according to MLB Network and confirmed by ESPN.
Hays, 30, hit 15 home runs in 103 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season after spending most of his career with the Baltimore Orioles. He is a career .262 hitter with a .748 OPS over his eight years in the big leagues. He has played all three positions in the outfield, appearing mostly in left field.
The White Sox have been searching for a veteran outfielder even before they traded Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets. They have also moved on from Michael Taylor and Mike Tauchman from last year’s squad, opening a need for a veteran player to help produce and lead the way for a very young Chicago roster.
Hays joins Andrew Benintendi, Brooks Baldwin and newcomer Luisangel Acuna in the White Sox outfield and could see plenty of playing time.
