Boom, Clap: Home runs, anyone? Edwin Encarnación looks to add some offensive power to the White Sox lineup. (@MLB)
After passing today’s physical, Edwin Encarnación’s one year, $12 million deal became official. The deal also includes a $12 million club option for 2021, with no buyout. Kodi Medeiros was outrighted from the 40-man roster to make room for Encarnación.
So what can we expect from this acquisition? First of all: dingers.
“Edwin is a professional hitter, someone who makes each and every at-bat count,” says GM Rick Hahn in today’s press release. “His long track record of power is impressive and as a veteran run producer, Edwin adds another threatening bat to our lineup, lengthening our batting order and increasing Rick Renteria’s offensive options on any given night.”
Though Encarnación just turned 37, his offensive production has certainly not slowed: For Seattle and New York last year, the January 7 birthday boy hit 34 home runs in 418 at-bats. His ISO was also at a career high, at .287. Between 2012 and 2019, Encarnación has amassed multiple 30-plus home run seasons, hitting 42 for Toronto in both 2012 and 2016. Encarnación has also started 723 games at DH; the position should be familiar to him as he settles in on the South Side.
Another area that Encarnación can potentially also help the White Sox in is walks, an area they were dead last in the AL in 2019. According to his Baseball Savant page, Encarnación’s 2017 BB% was at a career high of 15.5%, which placed him at the top 3% in the league. In 2019, his BB% dropped off a little bit, to 11.9%; however, the MLB average was at 8.8%. Encarnación joins fellow patient hitter Yasmani Grandal, whose 2019 BB% was at 17.2%.
Here’s to a season full of the long ball, and busting out the parrot emoji with reckless abandon.
South Side Hit Pen 
Not sure what “Private” means, but I guess part of that is no “Like” button – so here’s my Like. And I do. Dingers and baserunners is a lovely combination.
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