Report: White Sox DFA Maldonado amid woeful season
The Chicago White Sox designated catcher Martín Maldonado for assignment, sources told Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
Maldonado, 37, joined the White Sox on a one-year, $4.25-million contract this past winter that included a 2025 club option. Chicago had hopes that the former Gold Glove backstop would provide solid defense and help grow a relatively young rotation through what was always planned to be a difficult 2024 season.
However, some historically dismal numbers ended up cutting his time in Chicago short. Maldonado hit .119/.174/.230 with four homers, 11 RBIs, and 51 strikeouts over 48 games for the White Sox. His batting average currently stands as the lowest ever in a single season for a strict position player with at least 135 at-bats, per Stathead.
Maldonado's normally stellar glovework also took a hit, as his minus-8 defensive runs saved placed last among catchers in the American League. He's also caught only three runners stealing in 42 chances for a dismal 7% success rate. Rookie Korey Lee usurped Maldonado as Chicago's primary catcher.
The 14-year veteran is best known for his six-year run with the Houston Astros that ended last year. His work with Houston's pitchers proved integral to the team's recent playoff success, most notably during its World Series title run in 2022. Maldonado, a lifetime .203/.278/.344 hitter, also won a Gold Glove with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.
The reported move to DFA Maldonado comes a few hours after the White Sox signed infielder Nick Senzel to a major-league contract. Chicago also plans to recall catcher Chuckie Robinson from Triple-A Charlotte before Friday's game in Kansas City, a source told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The White Sox enter the second half sporting an MLB-worst 27-71 record.