Chicago White Sox to Sign Former Washington Nationals Outfielder Michael A. Taylor

Michael A. Taylor has continued to provide solid defense in the years since the Washington Nationals let him go, and the outfielder is now poised to join the Chicago White Sox.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Michael A. Taylor (18) catches a fly ball against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at PNC Park. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a deal with free agent outfielder Michael A. Taylor, FanSided's Robert Murray reported Tuesday evening.

Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Taylor's contract will be worth $1.95 million over one season. He will also have the opportunity to earn performance-based bonuses.

Taylor spent this past season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, until he was released in September. Across 113 games, he hit .193 with five home runs, 21 RBI, 12 stolen bases, a .543 OPS, 11 defensive runs saved and a 0.9 WAR.

The center fielder is set to turn 34 years old the day before Opening Day.

Taylor made a name for himself with the Washington Nationals, appearing in 574 games for the team between 2014 and 2020. His best season came in 2017, when he hit .271 with 19 home runs, 53 RBI, 17 stolen bases, an .806 OPS, 12 defensive runs saved and a 2.7 WAR.

Despite being part of their World Series squad in 2019, batting .333 with a 1.010 OPS throughout that postseason run, the Nationals let Taylor walk in free agency. He wound up inking a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals in November 2020.

The Royals weren't quite as willing to see Taylor walk out the door after he won a Gold Glove in 2021. Before he hit the open market, Kansas City awarded Taylor with a two-year extension.

Taylor posted a 5.8 WAR across two seasons with the Royals before he was traded to the Minnesota Twins. From there, Taylor signed with the Pirates for the 2024 season.

Across his 11-year MLB career, Taylor is a .235 hitter with a .671 OPS. He has racked up 748 hits, 100 home runs, 136 doubles, 353 RBI, 120 stolen bases, 84 defensive runs saved and a 12.2 WAR in 1,082 games.

The White Sox have now signed three outfielders to big league contracts this winter, with Taylor joining Mike Tauchman and Austin Slater.

Tauchman and Slater are in line to compete for a starting job, while Taylor will likely back up Luis Robert Jr. in center. Andrew Benintendi will presumably serve as Chicago's everyday left fielder.

If Robert gets traded, as has been rumored for months, the White Sox now have a veteran that can step in and continue to provide solid defense in center. Top outfield prospects Braden Montgomery and George Wolkow are still a few years out, so Chicago wasn't working with many internal options before bringing in their trio of free agents.

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