The phenomenal ace re-signed with the White Sox on this day in history, marking….
Just 145 hits shy of 3,000, Harold Baines re-signed with the White Sox, marking the third time in his career he’s chosen to rejoin the team via free agency. The soon-to-be 42-year-old only gets a minor league deal.
Though Baines would suit up all season, he saw action in just 32 games (11 hits) with a .131/.202/.143 slash and -1.2 WAR, and hung it up at season’s end.
White Sox legend and second-best hitter in franchise history, Frank Thomas, was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try, with 83.7% support. Joining him in the Class of 2014 were hurler teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Reminiscent of fellow second baseman Nellie Fox in 1985, Craig Biggio fell just two votes shy of election.
Thomas played the first 16 years of his career on the South Side, and was a five-time All-Star and two-time MVP.
2023
Liam Hendriks announced via social media that he had Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While he didn’t discuss his health in a press conference until May, Hendriks kept his fan base informed of the varying milestones in his recovery. The White Sox closer began his baseball rehabilitation assignments on May 5 and made his return to the MLB diamond on May 29 by pitching the eighth inning of an eventual 6-4 loss to the Angels.
Hendriks’ season would only last five games (2-0, one save, 5.40 ERA, three Ks in five innings, -0.1 WAR) due to arm discomfort that saw him return to the IL on June 10. He would succumb to Tommy John surgery, treating an arm injury he’d apparently fought through for years, on August 2.
The White Sox declined his option after the season, triggering 10 years of $1.5 million payments through 2033.
