The White Sox signed veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league camp on Tuesday.
To what degree Hamilton’s signing is related to Luis Robert’s injury was not immediately known. Robert was scratched from the lineup Monday for “precautionary” reasons, the Sox said, for a lower abdominal strain and was not in the lineup for the Sox’ Cactus League game against the Padres Tuesday.
Sox manager Tony La Russa on Tuesday said Robert’s has a little discomfort but that his exam with trainers showed everything was normal. It seems likely Robert will be out a couple of more days, though, at the least.
Adam Engel is the Sox’ fourth outfielder behind Robert, Eloy Jimenez and Adam Eaton. Hamilton was expected to be in uniform Tuesday.
Hamilton, 30, was recently let go by the Indians after playing part of the 2020 season with the Cubs and Mets. He was 4-for-32 (.125) with six stolen bases between the two teams. Playing for the Cubs against the Sox in the 2020 regular season finale, Hamilton showed his speed by stealing home. He also homered.
“He’s a real threat and a real impact for this club,” Cubs manager David Ross said at the time. “That’s the kind of difference-maker that can win you a close ballgame, especially in a postseason format.”
Added to the Cubs roster in early September, Hamilton was used mostly to pinch run and for late-inning defensive purposes. He stole 58 and 59 bases for the Reds in 2016 and ‘17. He’s a career .241/.296/.325 hitter over eight major league seasons.
He has 305 career stolen bases and holds the minor league baseball single-season stolen base record with 155.
