The Chicago White Sox continued their work to fill infield holes Tuesday by signing veteran Paul DeJong to a one-year deal, a supply confirmed to the Tribune. The transfer is pending a bodily.
DeJong, who went to Antioch High School and Illinois State, has a .229/.299/.417 profession slash line with 116 residence runs and 344 RBIs in 729 profession video games over seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2017-23), Toronto Blue Jays (’23) and San Francisco Giants (’23).
He completed second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 after slashing .285/.325/.532 with 25 residence runs and 65 RBIs in 108 video games. And he earned an All-Star choice in 2019, when he had profession highs in residence runs (30) and RBIs (78) in 159 video games.
The 30-year-old DeJong had a mixed .207/.258/.355 slash line final season with 14 residence runs and 38 RBIs in 112 video games with the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Giants. He has 656 profession begins at shortstop and 20 at second base.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network first reported the deal was nearing.
The Sox have labored rapidly to search out infield depth, starting with final week’s six-player commerce with the Atlanta Braves that included Nicky Lopez and Braden Shewmake.
Lopez, like DeJong, has ties to the world.
Speaking with reporters on a video convention name hours earlier than the DeJong deal, Lopez recalled getting into the batter’s field throughout his first journey to Guaranteed Rate Field as a major-leaguer with the Kansas City Royals on May 27, 2019.
“I don’t get many nerves, but I remember it was almost like my debut again and stepping in the box to what sounded like a standing ovation,” Lopez stated.
The Naperville Central graduate estimated 500 supporters had been in attendance.
“Thank God I didn’t have to buy tickets for all of them,” he stated. “But I had fairly a number of individuals there and I received like a loud standing ovation once I received into the field and it was a dream come true.
“I always dreamed of playing in Chicago, always dreamed of coming home and playing in front of my friends and family, and I will never forget that day. It was pretty special.”
Lopez is worked up that his subsequent go to to Guaranteed Rate Field shall be as a member of the Sox. He was traded — together with Shewmake, right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka, left-hander Jared Shuster and minor-league right-hander Riley Gowens — for reliever Aaron Bummer.
The commerce occurred on the eve of Lopez’s wedding ceremony in California.
“I got the call that I was getting traded (Thursday) while we were at our rehearsal dinner, and then Friday I got married,” Lopez stated. “I wasn’t sure at first where, and then (Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos) said the Chicago White Sox and I was just like, if I was to go somewhere, why not go home. This has been a whirlwind but it’s been unbelievable.”
Lopez stated he grew up watching the Sox and attended Game 2 of the 2005 World Series.
“I remember all of it and it’s kind of full circle,” he stated, “which is really cool.”
Lopez, 29, has a .249/.312/.319 profession slash line with 71 doubles, six residence runs, 131 RBIs, 220 runs and 42 stolen bases in 546 video games throughout 5 seasons with the Royals (2019-23) and Braves (2023).
He had a mixed .231/.326/.307 slash line final season with eight doubles, three triples, one homer, 25 RBIs, 26 walks and 32 runs in 94 video games for the Royals and Braves whereas committing simply two errors in 277 possibilities.
Sox common supervisor Chris Getz famous Lopez’s versatility and praised his protection.
“You look at his defensive ratings or any sort of evaluation, it’s strong,” Getz stated Friday throughout a video convention name.
Lopez has 225 profession begins at shortstop, 220 at second and 44 at third. He additionally has began in left subject twice and at first base as soon as.
“One thing I do hang my hat on is being versatile and playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, whether it’s at short, second or third,” Lopez stated. “Played a little of the outfield as well. To be able to hang my hat on that and know I can go fill a spot wherever they need me is something I take a lot of pride in.”
The Royals initially chosen Lopez within the fifth spherical of the 2016 draft out of Creighton. They traded him to the Braves on July 30, and he participated within the playoffs for the primary time in his profession.
He joins the Sox having taken rather a lot away from his brief time in Atlanta.
“Even though I was there for a half year, it was a huge learning experience for me,” Lopez stated. “The factor in regards to the Atlanta Braves is that they play the identical lineup each single day. I used to be lucky sufficient to get some taking part in time when Ozzie Albies went down (with a strained left hamstring in August), however I realized a lot from that workers, from these gamers and about what profitable baseball is like.
“And being able to experience my first playoffs was something special. Once you kind of get a taste of playoff baseball, you don’t want to experience anything else. And so that’s why coming here, whether it’s a cultural change, whether it’s something in the clubhouse that we can change, I’m looking forward to trying to help that both in the clubhouse and on the field.”
Lopez embraces management duties.
“I’ve always been thrown into a leadership role,” he stated. “I’ve always been a leader, ever since high school, when I was at Naperville Central, at Creighton and then kind of going through the ranks in the Royals organization. So I’m excited to come over here and help any way I can.”
Hours later, extra assist arrived with DeJong.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com