The White Sox added veteran depth to their outfield mix, signing 33-year-old former Gold Glove center fielder Michael A. Taylor to a one-year, $1.95 million contract Tuesday, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times.
Taylor, who turns 34 in March, owns a .235/.290/.381 hitting line with 100 homers and 120 stolen bases over 11 seasons with the Nationals, Royals, Twins and Pirates. He won the Gold Glove in 2021 with the Royals, and he has 78 defensive runs saved in center field from 2015 -24.
Taylor batted a soft .193/.253/.290 with five homers and 12 stolen bases in 113 games for the Pirates last season.
He’ll join Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Mike Tauchman, Austin Slater, Dominic Fletcher and Oscar Colas as Sox outfielders on the 40-man roster.
Ky Bush to have TJ Surgery
The Sox will open spring training Wednesday at less than full strength, especially on the young pitching front with Tuesday’s news that lefty prospect Ky Bush will have Tommy John surgery Wednesday, ending his season.
Bush, who excelled at Double-A Birmingham last season (2.12 ERA in 14 starts) before posting a 5.40 ERA in four August starts for the Sox, was acquired from the Angels in the trade for pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. He was recently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Sox’ No. 11 prospect.
Ramos, Thorpe behind the pack
General manager Chris Getz also said third baseman Bryan Ramos has right elbow soreness, “so we’re going to be very mindful of his workload.”
Ramos has been cleared to hit and the Sox “plan on him being a full participant this season.”
Right-hander Drew Thorpe, who had a setback in the offseason after having bone chips removed from his elbow, “is feeling really good,” Getz said, and is playing catch and will be throwing off a mound soon but will be behind the other starters in camp.
Wilson clears waivers
Right-handed reliever Steven Wilson cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte. Wilson, who came from the Padres with Thorpe in a trade for Dylan Cease last March, will be a non-roster invitee to camp.