Benintendi’s Breakthrough: A Night Of Redemption For The White Sox Outfielder
Nobody needed Saturday night’s win more than Andrew Benintendi. But you wouldn’t know it by listening to his postgame comments.
“It’s been a slow start for us for sure,” Benintendi told reporters after the game. “It’s a long season and still five months of baseball. For us right now, it’s a day at a time. You can’t look too forward ahead when we are in the position we are. Show up every day and just play hard.”
No matter how he is swinging the bat, Benintendi has always kept an even-keeled attitude. The calm demeanor is a mark of a professional but was also a bit exciting considering the circumstances. Benintendi’s sixth multi-homer game of his career helped the White Sox pickup back-to-back wins and a series victory for the first time this season. It was a great team win spearheaded by a player who hasn’t provided much to cheer about this season.
The highest-paid player in franchise history entered the game with a .169/.204/.191 slash line and a negative -1.9 WAR. His .191 slugging percentage was thanks to just two doubles in his first 23 games. Benintendi had also been dogged by the fan base for his apparent lack of effort and deteriorating defense. During an April 24th loss against the Twins, he let a ball with an 89% estimated catch probability drop in front of him for a double.
But on Saturday he finally gave White Sox fans a dose of excitement. After striking out in his first at-bat Benintendi connected for his first home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning. With runners on first and second he launched a Aaron Civale cutter 405 feet to tie the game at three. The ball left his bat with a 103.3 exit velocity. With one swing he raised the White Sox’s win probability by nearly 25% but that didn’t turn out to be his biggest hit of the night.
In the bottom of the tenth inning, the 29-year-old sent the lively crowd of 28,000 people into a frenzy with his first career walk-off home run. The 401-foot blast off a Phil Maton sweeper flipped a 7-6 deficit into an 8-7 victory. He finished the game with three hits and six RBIs.
“Guess I caught a break with the wind that time,” Benintendi said. “Just looking for something up in the zone, something to drive to the outfield. Put a good swing on it.”
Benintendi became the first White Sox player to hit two home runs, including a walk-off home run, since Tyler Flowers did it against the Oakland Athletics in 2010, according to Sarah Langs. Pedro Grifol credited the performance to a new attitude at the plate.
“He’s hitting with bad intentions and that’s what makes him really good,” Grifol said.
White Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames has been working with the White Sox left fielder on putting together good at-bats instead of focusing on where the ball is going to go. While the early returns have been extremely frustrating to watch Saturday night could be just the confidence boost the former All-Star needs.
Historically when the weather heats up so does Benintendi. His career splits show that his best months of the season offensively come in May and June. His career .280 batting average and .791 OPS in May which are the second-highest average of any month behind only June where he owns a career slash line of .288/.356/.466. He also has hit 18 home runs in the month of June, which is the highest total of any other month of the season.