The Chicago White Sox signed veteran outfielder Michael A. Taylor on a one-year, $1.95 million contract, the club announced on Wednesday.
In a corresponding move, the White Sox placed right-hander Jesse Scholtens on the 60-day injured list to make room for Taylor on the 40-man roster. Scholtens, 30, missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March.
Taylor, 33, is known for his defensive ability, and leads all major leaguers with 52 defensive runs saved since 2020, according to the White Sox. He won an American League Gold Glove as a center fielder with the Kansas City Royals in 2021.
Last season, Taylor posted a career-best 1.4 Defensive Wins Above Replacement for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted a career-low .193 for the Pirates, with five home runs and 21 RBIs in 113 games.
In 2023, he displayed surprising power, launching 21 home runs in 129 games with the Minnesota Twins.
Taylor is a career .235 hitter with 100 homers and 353 RBIs in 1,082 games for the Washington Nationals (2014-20), Royals (2021-22), Twins (2023) and Pirates. Selected by the Nationals in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, Taylor won the World Series with Washington in 2019.
