Chicago White Sox decline to tender contracts to infielder Danny Mendick and outfielders Adam Engel and Mark Payton

The Chicago White Sox often utilized outfielder Adam Engel as a defensive replacement.

Danny Mendick aided the team in a number of spots throughout the infield.

The Sox on Friday declined to tender contracts to Engel, Mendick and outfielder Mark Payton, the team announced.

“We appreciate all that Adam and Danny did for our organization in 2022 and during prior seasons,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “As we have said at other times, a lot of consideration and analysis goes into the club deciding to forego the arbitration process and instead engage with players and their representatives as free agents.

“Our plan is to stay in contact with all three players and evaluate their ongoing fit with our club as we move forward through this offseason.”

The Sox tendered contracts to all remaining unsigned players for 2023, including arbitration-eligible pitchers Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Reynaldo López, Michael Kopech and José Ruiz.

Engel has a career .255/.280/.350 slash line with 30 homers and 123 RBIs during parts of six seasons (523 games) with the Sox. He played in 119 games (60 starts) in 2022, slashing .224/.269/.310 with two homers, 17 RBIs, 32 runs and 12 stolen bases. He was on the injured list from June 23-July 4 with a right hamstring strain.

Engel, 30, hit a career-high seven home runs in 2021, a season in which he was limited to 39 games because of injuries.

Mendick’s 2022 season came to an end after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee on June 22 against the Toronto Blue Jays. He slashed .289/.343/.443 with three homers, 15 RBIs and 22 runs in 31 games, playing shortstop, second base, third base and left field.

Mendick, 29, has a career .251/.309/.366 slash line with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in parts of four seasons (151 games) with the Sox. He was a finalist for the American League Gold Glove Award at second base in 2020.

Payton, 30, was 3-for-21 (.143) with one RBI in eight games during two stints with the Sox last season. Payton was born in Orland Park and attended St. Rita.

The Sox have some openings in the outfield with veteran AJ Pollock declining a player option last week and becoming a free agent. They also likely will have a new opening-day second baseman after declining a $5.5 million club option on Josh Harrison on Nov. 7.

With Friday’s moves, the Sox 40-man roster is at 35.

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