CLEVELAND — The White Sox announced the signing of shortstop Elvis Andrus Friday, shoring up a need at a position thinned out by injuries to Tim Anderson, Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick.
The former All-Star, released by Athletics on Wednesday, cleared waivers and was signed by the Sox and was in the lineup batting seventh and playing shortstop for the opener of an important three-game series Friday in Cleveland.
All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson is out for another five weeks with a finger injury, Danny Mendick is out for the season with a knee injury and Leury Garcia is on the injured list with a back strain, depleting the Sox’ shortstop depth and forcing them to play rookie call-ups Lenyn Sosa and Romy Gonzalez in recent days.
Sosa was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to make room on the active roster.
Andrus, who turns 34 next week, isn’t the fielder he was during his All-Star years with the Rangers and is batting .237/.301/.378, but he’s a definite upgrade at a key position going into the stretch run of the season.
He’s in the final season of an eight-year, $120 million contract signed with Texas, but the Sox, who signed him through the end of the season, will owe Andrus the prorated league minimum for the rest of the season, with the A’s responsible for the remainder of his $14 million salary.
Andrus, who will wear jersey No. 1 has always hit well at Progressive Field, with a .378/.446/.570 hitting line and seven homers in 45 games in Cleveland.
Andrus is a career .270/.326/.369 hitter with 87 home runs and a .695 OPS over 14 seasons, his first 12 in Texas. He was a teammate of Sox second baseman Josh Harrison last season.
The signing is expected to be announced Friday. Triple-A left-hander Yoan Aybar was outrighted, creating room on the 40-man roster.
