Last December, the White Sox brought back Adam Eaton on a one-year deal, with an option for 2022, to shore up right field against right handers, platooning with Adam Engel.  Many, including myself, were skeptical of the move, given Eaton’s injury history and better, but more expensive, options available on the market.  He started the season strong-ish, hitting .233 with 3 home runs and 18 RBIs in April, but fell off significantly after that.  He hit .158 with 2 homers and only 7 RBIs in 21 May games and hit .161 while only appearing in 11 games in June.

All of that added up to a .201 average with a career low .642 OPS and, with a roster crunch caused by Adam Engel’s return from the IL and the play of Brian Goodwin and Billy Hamilton, Eaton was designated for assignment yesterday.  The initial concerns, of whether he would be able to stay on the field for a full season, seem well founded after 2 stints on the IL in 3 months.  I’m sure this isn’t the end of the road for Eaton, but it is probably a start down that road.  A player like him, who relies on his legs for so much of his game, can see the writing on the wall once those legs start to go.

Eaton’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: