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Kevin Pillar Elects Free Agency

By Mark Polishuk | April 28, 2024 at 9:55pm CDT

Outfielder Kevin Pillar has chosen to become a free agent rather than an accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Charlotte, the White Sox announced.  Pillar was designated for assignment earlier this week and cleared waivers, but since he has far more than three years of MLB service time, Pillar has the right to reject any outright assignments in favor of a return trip to the open market.

Pillar first signed with Chicago on a minor league deal during the offseason, but after being released from that contract near the end of Spring Training, quickly re-signed with the Sox for a guaranteed big league deal.  Pillar ended up appearing in 17 games for the White Sox, hitting .160/.290/.360 over 32 plate appearances and acting mostly as a late-game substitute.

Now in his 12th Major League season, the 35-year-old Pillar has rarely shown much at the plate but carved out a role as an excellent defensive center fielder during his heyday with the Blue Jays.  Even after Toronto traded Pillar early in the 2019 season, he continued to receive more or less everyday work until falling into more of a part-time capacity over the last four seasons.  This stretch included platoon/bench roles with the Mets in 2021 and the Braves in 2023, and he was slated for a similar role with the Dodgers in 2022 but played in only four games before a fractured shoulder ended his season.

Pillar should draw some looks from teams interested in adding veteran depth at all three outfield positions, plus some limited pop against left-handed pitching (the righty-swinging Pillar is a career .277/.310/.460 hitter against southpaws).  It wouldn’t be entirely surprising to see Pillar again circle back to the White Sox if he can’t find a deal anywhere else, though Chicago more or less replaced Pillar with Tommy Pham, and might move more towards younger players anyway later in the season if and when veterans are dealt at the trade deadline.

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Chicago White Sox Transactions Kevin Pillar

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24 Comments

  1. Non Roster Invitee

    1 year ago

    Forever Giant!

    1
    Reply
    • washington_bonercats

      1 year ago

      Please god not again

      2
      Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 year ago

        wash – Could be worse, in the middle of easily his best season he was traded by Bloom for Jacob Wallace …. horrific trade.

        Reply
    • TellItGoodbye

      1 year ago

      No. He’s not.

      Reply
  2. FarmCatArmy

    1 year ago

    Let’s see lool

    Reply
  3. BrandonJ33

    1 year ago

    Future Oakland A

    2
    Reply
  4. positively_broad_st

    1 year ago

    Enjoyed Pillar’s interview on Foul Territory on YT the other day. They interviewed him right after he was DFA’d. It was an interesting conversation. You don’t usually get an in-depth interview with a guy who was just asked to clear out his locker. It’s worth checking out and giving it a listen…

    7
    Reply
  5. RoastGobot

    1 year ago

    Siempre gigante

    Reply
  6. Buff Barnacles

    1 year ago

    Yankee’s would be an interesting fit. That bench has almost zero pop.

    Reply
    • deweybelongsinthehall

      1 year ago

      He wouldn’t add much at this stage of his career, especially at Yankee Stadium. His real value in my view is still his glove, catching and knowing what base to throw to (even if he has lost a step). If he gives you anything at the plate, it’s a bonus.

      3
      Reply
  7. Citizen1

    1 year ago

    Any player dfa by the white Sox this season must be very happy not to be associated with that team all season

    6
    Reply
    • oscar gamble

      1 year ago

      Don’t think that’s the case here with Pillar having 9.072 years service time and being short of the ten year qualification for a full MLB pension.

      Reply
      • Aiden Awe

        1 year ago

        He also said that the clubhouse is positive which is good to see.

        1
        Reply
      • mohoney

        1 year ago

        Yeah, he would gladly put up with all the losing to accrue 100 more days.

        1
        Reply
  8. gmenfan

    1 year ago

    Can’t stick on the South Side? Well, only one stop left … Oakland.

    2
    Reply
    • MacGromit

      1 year ago

      Oakland just took 2 out of 3 against Baltimore.

      2 out of 3 people in Chicago won’t even acknowledge there’s at team on the Southside.

      Woe Sox are impressively awful this year.

      1
      Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 year ago

        Mac – Apparently you don’t know the ChiSox just swept the Rays.

        That’s the beauty of baseball, over a 162-game season things can change ….. and often do.

        And everyone who has been boasting of the Rays being “the model franchise” will likely be eating some humble pie this season.

        2
        Reply
        • MacGromit

          1 year ago

          Yup, they’re a playoff team now for sure.

          Reply
        • Fever Pitch Guy

          1 year ago

          Mac – Who said anything about playoffs?

          You can make an argument about Oakland being better than the ChiSox, but each team will win at last 42 games this year.

          1
          Reply
    • Citizen1

      1 year ago

      Or Miami or Kc or Washington or the mets

      Reply
  9. Mercenary.Freddie.Freeman

    1 year ago

    I would not be surprised if the Braves picked him up again lol.

    Reply
  10. Zerbs63

    1 year ago

    Pillar can’t be worse that any of the trash on the white sox.

    Reply
    • Buff Barnacles

      1 year ago

      Read back what you just typed out to the world. . Pull away from your computer
      Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself out loud”

      “Really?”

      1
      Reply
  11. AllAboutBaseball

    1 year ago

    Is Intentional Talk any good? I stopped watching when they let go Chris Rose

    Reply

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