The White Sox agreed to terms on a one-year deals for infielder Brett Lawrie and outfielder Avisail Garcia, Lawrie for $3.5 million and Garcia for $3.0 million.
Lawrie, 26, missed more than two months of the 2016 season with various leg injuries, batting .248 with 12 home runs, 36 RBI and 35 runs scored over 94 games before going on the disabled list on July 27. He did not play the rest of the season.
Garcia, 25, viewed as a possible non-tender after hitting .245 with 12 homers and 51 RBI over 493 plate appearances, batted .355 with runners in scoring position, fourth in the American League. Acquired from the Tigers in a three-team trade for Jake Peavy during the 2013 season, Garcia was viewed as an important piece of a Sox retooling phase at the time. Garcia has thus far fallen short of expectations both offensively and defensively.
Garcia and Lawrie were were projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make more than they signed for. Garcia was pegged at $3.4 million and Lawrie at $5.1 million.
All remaining unsigned Sox were tendered contracts for 2017. According to MLB Trade Rumors, here is what their arbitration-eligible players are projected to earn in 2017: Third baseman Todd Frazier, $13.5M; first baseman Jose Abreu, $12 million; left-hander Dan Jennings, $1.2 million; right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, $2.6 million; right-hander Zach Putnam, $975,000; right-hander Jake Petricka, $900,000.
The Sox declined to tender a contract to right-hander Blake Smith. The Sox 40-man roster decreases to 38.
