San Diego Padres Sign Former White Sox Outfielder to One-Year Deal

The San Diego Padres have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free agent outfielder Adam Engel, the Padres announced on Twitter Friday.

The #Padres have signed Adam Engel to a one-year contract through the 2023 season.

Details: https://t.co/b6qKTPNNky pic.twitter.com/RghzHJ24OW
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) January 7, 2023

Engel played the first six years of his Major League career for the Chicago White Sox, where he batted .225 with a .280 On Base Percentage and .631 OPS.

Engel is a strong defensive outfielder, with some speed. He stole 12 bases in 2022.

The Padres are expected to play Juan Soto in right field, with Trent Grisham in center field, and Fernando Tatis Jr. moving to left field. San Diego is one of four powerhouse National League teams heading into 2023. According to odds courtesy of Fanduel, the Padres are plus-450 to win the National League. That's the same as the Atlanta Braves, and just slightly behind the Los Angeles Dodgers at plus-400.

Xander Bogaerts is expected to take over at short, with Ha-Seong Kim moving to second base, and Jake Cronenworth playing first. Tatis is expected to move to left, with Manny Machado remaining at third base.

Engel could start the season as the Padres' Opening Day left fielder, as Tatis serves the remaining 20 games left of his suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Once Tatis returns, Engel will probably assume a role as the team's fourth outfielder.

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