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  "path": "/white-sox/2026/05/19/white-sox-andrew-benintendi-clubhouse-expectations",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-20T02:37:54.390Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>SEATTLE — Competitive baseball and a competent batting line? It was supposed to be like this a lot sooner for the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox\" >White Sox</a> and Andrew Benintendi.</p><p>In the fourth year of the five-year, $75 million deal that still marks the biggest in franchise history, the veteran left fielder/designated hitter has swung a strong bat during his squad’s May resurgence.</p><p>Benintendi entered play Tuesday hitting .289/.346/.400 over his last 15 games, which have capped the Sox’ best stretch since he got to the South Side.</p><p>“It's awesome,” Benintendi said. “We have fun. It's energy every single day. The expectation now versus in the past — it was like, be competitive. And now, it’s to win. I think there's a lot of confidence in here.”</p><p>The bar was low for the 31-year-old, whose first three underperforming seasons with the Sox cratered with MLB’s modern-era record for losses in 2024.</p><p>“In ‘24, that bad year, you’d show up and guys would be like, ‘Oh, another loss,’” Benintendi said. “Guys are obviously pissed now when we lose, so the expectations took pretty much a 180, which is great.”</p><p>While still generally riding the bench <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/04/08/white-sox-andrew-benintendi-orioles-platton\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>against lefty starters</u></a>, Benintendi has provided some pop in the middle of manager Will Venable’s order with three homers, seven doubles and 19 RBI. He has slashed .239/.291/.388 in 43 games this year.</p><p>“I’ve become a little more selective up there,” he said. “More willing to take a single. I'm trying to stay through the middle of the field a little more. It all comes down to the pitches you swing at. Even when things go bad for me, I feel like usually I’m fouling those off, but during this stretch, I'm putting the ball in play.”</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-portrait-right> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-040000\" name=\"image-040000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium-3x4\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2748185/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3599x4799+0+0/resize/375x500!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe5%2F8f%2Fb8ff5a514add8fb11fcde0c701d1%2F2276609871.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1MDBweCIgd2lkdGg9IjM3NXB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"375\" height=\"500\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f22f9fa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3599x4799+0+0/resize/375x500!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe5%2F8f%2Fb8ff5a514add8fb11fcde0c701d1%2F2276609871.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1MDBweCIgd2lkdGg9IjM3NXB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Trevor Richards looks on before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 19.\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f22f9fa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3599x4799+0+0/resize/375x500!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe5%2F8f%2Fb8ff5a514add8fb11fcde0c701d1%2F2276609871.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1MDBweCIgd2lkdGg9IjM3NXB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>Trevor Richards looks on before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 19.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Maddy Grassy/Getty</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p></p><h3>Illinois connections</h3><p>Journeyman reliever Trevor Richards has had a rocky few outings since signing with the Sox <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/05/08/white-sox-continue-to-tweak-bullpen-call-up-illinois-native-trevor-richards\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>earlier this month</u></a>, including the three-run homer he served up late in <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/05/18/white-sox-manager-will-venable-ejected-seattle-antonacci\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>Monday’s loss</u></a>. But he’s got some neighborly support in the locker room.</p><p>Richards, who lives in downstate Aviston and has family in suburban Downers Grove, joins two other Illinois natives on the team: utility player Sam Antonacci of Springfield and left-hander <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/05/14/alton-illinois-cubs-draft-pick-bryan-hudson-white-sox-cardinals-brewers\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>Bryan Hudson</u></a> of Alton.</p><p>Home-state allegiances aside, Richards’ silver mane stands out on a youthful squad.</p><p>“It's cool to be back in a group that's young and energetic and kind of brings a new life to it,” said Richards, 33. “It's fun. I feel like, as you get up there and you go through some older teams, you kind of get away from that. So coming back into a clubhouse like this has really been enjoyable.</p><p>“I'm learning from them as well. I think everyone's always learning, especially in the big leagues.”</p><h3>Coming and going</h3><p>The Sox transferred catcher Kyle Teel to the 60-day injured list with <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/05/18/kyle-teel-injury-knee-white-sox\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>a strained knee ligament</u></a> and acquired left-hander Joe Rock from Tampa Bay in exchange for Triple-A Charlotte infielder Oliver Dunn on Tuesday.</p><p>Teel rejoined the team in Seattle a day after the Sox announced his injury setback, which could sideline him another six weeks after working his way back from a pulled hamstring.</p><p>Rock made three relief appearances for the Rays in his debut season last year, and he was 1-1 in 13 outings this year at Triple-A Durham with a 5.40 ERA.</p><p>Meanwhile, outfielder Austin Hays began a rehab assignment at Charlotte on his way back from <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2026/05/04/white-sox-sign-outfielder-randal-grichuk-put-outfielder-austin-hays-on-injured-list\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>the calf strain</u></a> he suffered May 1, just a few days after returning from a separate injured-list stint for a hamstring pull. The veteran offseason addition has hit .233/.250/.326 with a homer in the 12 games he’s played for the Sox.</p><p>Hays won’t see reliever Osvaldo Bido, whom the Sox released from Charlotte to allow him pursue playing opportunities in Japan. The team DFA’d Bido after he struggled to a 6.23 ERA in five outings with the Sox.</p>",
  "title": "Clubhouse expectations take a 180 for Andrew Benintendi, White Sox",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-20T03:45:25.751Z"
}