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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the biggest surprises so far this season. If you were to ask the fanbase what they were expecting from this team at this point in the season, not many would answer with a positive record and second place in the AL Central.
However, here they are, and they look like the real deal. Munetaka Murakami is leading the offense, but he's not the only one who is doing great things this year.
Miguel Vargas has really stepped it up this season. And you also cannot forget about Chase Meidroth, who has been on a tear this season, leading the team with his .273 batting average.
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One underperforming $75 million player is holding back the White Sox offense
While many hitters are looking the part this season, not everyone is having success. Andrew Benintendi, who was given the team's highest free agent contract ahead of the 2023 season, is struggling.
And at this point, the front office may be kicking themselves for that. He has switched from playing the outfield to being used as a DH, and he has not really produced with the bat in his hands.
Benintendi is holding this team back, and Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer tags him as the club's least valuable player.
"Good defense used to be one of the things the White Sox were supposed to get out of Benintendi's $75 million deal. Now he's a DH, and one with only a 78 OPS+ to show for 170 plate appearances. And nobody likes a DH who can't hit."
It's pretty simple here. Benintendi's only job is to produce offensively, and he is failing to do that. Now, the likelihood of the team benching him is pretty small, but he has started to get platooned once Randal Grichuk came aboard.
Maybe that will light a fire underneath him to turn things around at the plate.
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