(670 The Score) In what was at least a mild surprise, outfielder A.J. Pollock has decided to decline his $13-million player option with the White Sox in 2023, Buster Olney of ESPN reported Tuesday afternoon.
Pollock, 34, will receive a $5-million buyout and hit the free-agent market. The move comes after he had a subpar season in which he hit .245 with 14 homers, 56 RBIs and a .681 OPS. He had a 91 OPS+, a metric in which league average is 100.
Pollock’s exit will open up $8 million in salary for the White Sox that otherwise would’ve been committed to him in 2023. The White Sox have several key needs to fill this offseason, including at second base and in the corner outfield spots. Highly touted prospect Oscar Colas could fill one of the White Sox’s corner outfield needs.
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