CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox and veteran outfielder Austin Slater agreed to a $1.75 million, one-year contract Wednesday.
Slater could earn $500,000 in performance bonuses under the terms of the deal. He would get $50,000 for playing in 50 games and $75,000 each for 75 and 100 games. He would also earn $50,000 for 100, 150 and 200 plate appearances and $75,000 for 250 and 300 plate appearances.
Slater, who turns 32 next month, batted .209 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 84 games for San Francisco, Cincinnati and Baltimore last season. He is a career .252 hitter with 40 homers and 171 RBIs in eight seasons with the Giants, Reds and Orioles.
After the White Sox went 41-121 and broke the modern major league record for losses in a season, they hired Will Venable as manager on Oct. 31 to take over for Pedro Grifol, who was fired in August, and interim manager Grady Sizemore.