Opposing club seeks historic contract for former Red Sox fan favorite

The Boston Red Sox have faced heavy criticism for the number of star players who have left the organization’s roster since winning the 2018 World Series – and rightly so.

However, there was at least one player that fans should be thankful for letting management part ways with, even though he was very popular in Boston.

“The (Chicago) White Sox are openly offering outfielder Andrew Benintendi and would like to terminate his contract, which still has nearly $50 million due from 2025-2027,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote Sunday.

Benintendi has a .201 batting average with 12 extra-base hits, including six home runs, 22 RBIs and a .557 OPS (58 OPS+) in 63 games this season. When looking at the various WAR platforms, he is unanimously one of the worst players in baseball so far.

The 29-year-old has a slash line of .244/.304/.342 with an OPS of .649 (OPS+ of 79) since signing the largest contract in White Sox history – five years, $75 million.

Before making Chicago his home, Benintendi had a career average of .279 with a .782 OPS (109 OPS+) in seven seasons. He was an All-Star, received a Gold Glove, and was a key part of the 2018 World Series roster.

At this point, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which a rival club would trade Benintendi, even if the White Sox were willing to take on part of his contract.

Not many organizations will be vying for one of the statistically worst players in the league who also has a high-paying long-term contract.

More MLB: Red Sox star reportedly receives trade interest from two NL West contenders