ANAHEIM, Calif. — Randal Grichuk said there were discussions with “a few other teams” after he was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees on April 29.
And then the Chicago White Sox entered the conversation.
“(We were) about to get something done and (the Sox) came in the mix,” Grichuk said on Monday at Angel Stadium. “Felt like it was a good opportunity. It’s a young, exciting team, playing good baseball right now.
“We felt like it was a good spot.”
The veteran outfielder signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Sox on Monday.
The Sox were in need of some outfield help after Austin Hays went on the injured list — retroactive to Saturday — with a left calf strain.
“Obviously, with Hays going down, you need a right-handed (hitting) outfielder,” manager Will Venable said on Monday. “He was available and we feel really lucky that we got him. He’s a guy with a ton of experience that has performed really well in this league.”
Grichuk, 34, is in his 13th major-league season and has 212 home runs and 631 RBIs in his career. He spent last year with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals, where he combined to hit .228 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs in 113 games. He had a .194/.212/.323 slash line (6-for-31) with four doubles, two RBIs and eight runs in 16 games this season with the Yankees.
“Last season, a season the baseball card numbers weren’t where you wanted them to be,” Grichuk said. “I hit the ball hard. I had expected numbers that were good. You can find some positive in those. Baseball fans, the team, they want to see production and baseball card numbers. Got a little unlucky, but it happens.
“This year is kind of a weird start. Broke (camp) with New York, faced (San Francisco’s) Robbie Ray game two (of the season) and we didn’t see a lefty for 13 days. We didn’t do much pinch hitting while I was there. It was a little drought and then got going again. I felt good and got into a little bit of a rhythm there at the end. Swinging the bat well, hitting the ball hard. That’s kind of all you can ask for.”
Venable said Grichuk will be utilized mostly against left-handed pitchers, and he’ll see time at designated hitter and in the outfield. There has been some shuffling to the Sox outfield recently because of injuries, including Everson Pereira going on the IL last week with a right pectoral strain and the team selecting Jarred Kelenic’s contract from Triple-A Charlotte.
“Regardless of who we bring on board, they get up to speed and are happy to be part of that program,” Venable said. “Just credit our group of players for creating an environment that we can bring different guys into and get good results from.”
Grichuk enters while Hays begins his recovery. Hays woke up on Thursday’s off day with some soreness after playing the previous day against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field.
“I was hoping that it was just some fatigue, and then the next day, it was maybe a little more sore, kind of tender,” Hays said Monday. “But same thing, I was hoping it was fatigue, so I played the first game in San Diego. Then we tried to give it a couple of days of rest, and just seemed like it was getting tighter and getting worse with the rest.
“We decided to get the MRI on it and it was a calf strain. There was no point during that (April 29) game at home where I felt like anything happened. I just kind of woke up with soreness and unfortunately it continued to get worse instead of better.”
Hays had just returned from the IL, having missed April 7-27 with a right hamstring strain.
“Super, super frustrating,” Hays said of the latest setback. “I feel like I let myself down. I feel like I let the team down. Try to do everything I could to put myself in the best position to just be ready to help these guys. They’ve been playing well and I want to be a part of it, but unfortunately, I guess my body just wasn’t ready for that.”
Grichuk steps in as an option to aid the Sox.
“Any time you get a chance to throw the jersey on and compete, it’s an honor,” Grichuk said. “It’s a great organization, obviously had some tough years, but on the up and up and got a lot of good guys in here that I played against and have heard good things about coming up.
“Excited to grind with them.”
Sox acquire pitcher Trevor Richards
The Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations on Tuesday.
Richards allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings for the Phillies in two appearances this season.
He is 24-28 with a 4.52 ERA and 621 strikeouts in 570 innings over 297 appearances (61 starts) during nine major-league seasons with the Miami Marlins (2018-19), Tampa Bay Rays (2019-21), Milwaukee Brewers (2021), Toronto Blue Jays (2021-24), Minnesota Twins (2024), Kansas City Royals (2025), Arizona Diamondbacks (2025) and Phillies (2026).
The Sox will make a corresponding roster move prior to Richards’ addition to the 26-man roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Sox transferred right-hander Drew Thorpe (recovering from Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day injured list.
Richards, who turns 33 next week, attended Mater Dei High School in Breese, Ill.
