Kevin Pillar Elects Free Agency

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.