Former SF Giants backstop lands a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox

Eric Haase’s foray into free agency did not last long. The former SF Giants backstop has landed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox, per a team announcement.

Haase joined the Giants in the offseason on a minor league deal. This included a camp invite. He made a solid case to make the team, but was one of the last roster cuts and was subsequently released.

That also proved to be a brief foray into free agency. Haase reunited with the club on a minors pact shortly thereafter, and his contract was selected in April.

The veteran backup joined a struggling Patrick Bailey and Daniel Susac as the contingent behind the plate. Haase got off to a nice start, blasting two home runs in a 6-2 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in one of his first games with San Francisco.

Eric Haase’s bat cooled off after brief power surge with the SF Giants

Of course, that was to be expected. The nine-year veteran has usually displayed decent power in his career. This included a 22-homer season with the Detroit Tigers in 2021.

However, the hits stopped falling after a solid start. Haase tallied a hit on June 17, and that proved to be his final hit in a Giants uniform before he was designated for assignment earlier this month. He posted a .162/.235/.365 line (65 wRC+) with four home runs, nine RBI, and eight runs in 84 plate appearances.

The decision to cut ties with Haase has left the Giants extremely thin on experienced catchers. The Giants are now leaning on a trio of rookies, including Drew Cavanaugh, Daniel Susac, and Jesús Rodríguez. It is an unusual setup for a team that has so many veteran players.

That said, the Giants need to find out whether any of their three catchers can help them out beyond this season. Susac got off to an incredible start, but has slumped since then. Cavanaugh has put together some of the best at-bats, but the hits are not falling. Lastly, Rodríguez is still a work in progress behind the plate. No one has run away with the competition.

On the other hand, Haase joins a White Sox organization that has surprisingly found itself in the playoff picture. With a 55-51 record, they are in first place in the AL Central and look to get buyers at the trade deadline. Despite this, they have struggled to get any meaningful production from their catchers.

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