Andrew Benintendi on why the White Sox can make a bigger jump in 2026

0:00Are you ready for your winning moment? Find it at Win Creek, Chicago, Southland, where the action never stops. Play the hottest table games, enjoy the newest slats, and celebrate big jackpots. At Win Creek, there's a win waiting for you around every corner. Hey, everybody. It's Chuck Garfine. And welcome to the White Sox Podcasts. It's brought to you as always by Win Creek, Chicago, Southland. I'm here at White Sox Spring Training, Glendale, Arizona. Come back, Ranch. On the podcast today, this is a long overdue conversation with Andrew Benatendi. Now, if you asked Benny, hey, these first three seasons that you've been with the White Sox, has this gone according to plan for you personally or for the team? I'm sure he would say no. We will talk about that these first three seasons with the White Sox, but also, more specifically, this season coming up for the Sox.

1:01How close does he think this team is to being a winning team? Maybe even a playoff team? Benny will share that. Also, I asked Colson Montgomery last week, what's the one word you would use to describe the way the White Sox are going to play in 2026? He said resilient. Benny has another word that I really like for this team. He gets into that and a whole lot more. Great conversation. With Andrew Benatendi, here on the White Sox podcast, here we go. All right, sit back relax and strap it down as time for the White Sox podcast with our chump, chump garfire.

2:10Early morning conversation with Andrew Benatendi. What time did you wake up? This morning, 6.15. 6.15? Yeah. Early to realize how early spring training starts. Yeah. Obviously, you got your days coming a little later, but I think we're all in that schedule. You wake up early and it's just automatic. Are you a morning person normally? Yeah. I look forward to waking up and getting coffee. Okay, so you've had a cup of coffee. Now you're ready for a little chat. Yeah, absolutely. I'm ready to go. All right. There's so many day games, by the way, in spring training. I've always felt there should be night games. More night games as it gets closer to the regular season. But does that affect you or doesn't really matter to you? I don't think really matters. Honestly, I think we kind of prefer the day games here now, because obviously, like you just said, we're getting up early. Maybe we've had one night game and it felt like we were here forever. So just stay on a routine and we're all routine oriented people, obviously, with the schedules we have. But yeah, day games are overnight games for sure right now.

3:10All right. I feel like we're getting close to the home stretch. Is that how it feels like for you? Yeah, I think so. We've got two weeks left. Maybe a little less. Yeah. So it was spring training been so far. I mean, for the team. Like, what are you seeing from this team this year? Yeah, it's been great. Obviously, everybody's jelling. I mean, a lot of us obviously are familiar with each other from last year. I think guys are coming in with a lot more confidence this year. And kind of knowing what they can do on the field. And obviously, we've brought in some new guys that have obviously only made us better. So everybody's jelling. Vibes are good. I don't think we're all just looking forward to playing games that matter. You know what a winning team looks like. Does this look like a team that could be a winning team? Yeah, for sure. I mean, there's stepping stones along the way. I mean, I'm not going to say we're going to win 100-something games, which we could. I mean, I'm not saying we can't. But, you know, obviously, it's a younger team. And I think there's a lot of learning still that's going to happen. But I think the jump that's going to be made from last year to this year. And it seems like every year since I've been here, it's that the jump's been made.

4:13It's going to be, I think, bigger than what maybe people think. So, yeah, I think we're all just excited to get out there and compete. Yeah, why do you think it'll be bigger? Because I'm with you on this. I mean, if you just look, I mean, I think we had a lot of winnable games last year. I think that we kind of gave away late. And I think we got some back of the bullpen arms that are who have been around for a little bit and have really good stuff. So, I think we're going to be able to close the door a little bit better. I'm a handful of games. And, you know, who knows? Like a catch fire and going a roll. And it only really takes one really big run to kind of set you up the rest of season. Yeah, there was the one run games. There was not a closer. Did you guys kind of feel like at the end of the season, that was more of who you guys can be? At the end of last year? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I mean, the second half last year, I think is how we want to kind of come out of the gates this year. I mean, that was fun. I mean, we came out of the all-start break. And I think we were hitting homers, we were pitching. We were hitting with guys on base, hitting with men in running, squaring position.

5:14But it was just fun. I mean, I think the energy and the dugout was feeding off of everybody. So, if we can come out of the gates like that, like we did the second half, it'll be a great start to the season. Yeah, so I'm here. I feel the difference. I see the difference. But then I try to remind myself, well, this is spring training. But is there something that is to this? That, okay, it's spring training, yes. But when the regular season starts, this is going to translate to real games. Do you see that? Do you feel that and believe it? Yeah, I do. I think last year, obviously, a lot of the guys got called up. And they were just getting their feet wet for the first time in experiencing the majority of the full season in the big leagues. So I think now that they've experienced that, at the time, it's probably like, I'm excited to be here. What kind of do you help the team now? I think they realize what they need to do now. It's like, take that next step to win games. I think this is less of a feeling of, oh, I'm just happy to be here. Now it's like, okay, let's win games and like, let's make this more fun.

6:16So I've definitely seen that so far this came. All right, so one guy of one of those young guys that talked to last week was close to Montgomery. And I asked him, okay, what kind of baseball is this team going to play? Give me one word. Are you ready? You say gritty. Yeah. No, I gritty. I think, I mean, the way we've played this spring, and I think the kind of players we have right now is just kind of, I don't know what the word is, but like just gritty. I mean, I think stealing bases, taking the extra bag, manufacturing runs. I mean, obviously it'd be nice to hit five, six home runs a game, but it's not going to happen. And you got to find ways to win. I think it's the little things, little details that Will's been talking about all year. All camp that we've kind of bought into, I feel like up to this point. And you know, it's just sliding all over place, getting dirty jerseys. Like that's, that's fun. And I think that's the way we're going to play. Colson's word was resilient. Yeah. Which I felt for a young guy to say resilient. Yeah. For sure.

7:16Yeah. So, but resilient. I like gritty too. That's how side baseball. Yeah. Yeah. And it's perfect. That's how we're going to play. What do you see your role being on this team? I love to, obviously, I want to play the best I can. I think at this point in my career, I just care about winning. I'm not as concerned as personal, you know, things like that. But just, I don't know, be a mentor, keep it light. Obviously, I want to produce at the plate and stay healthy for a full season now. Obviously, there's going to be nicks that everybody goes through along the way. Which is kind of, you know, get back to who I was as a player a few years ago. And maybe even before I came to Chicago. But, yeah, I'm just, be a guy that any of these people or any teammates can come up to and ask questions and have fun in the process. Before you got here, I mean, you played on a lot of winning teams. You won a World Series with a Red Sox in 2018. And you've had three straight losing 100 game loss seasons here with the White Sox. How tough has that been for you? Well, I'll get to your personal side of it next.

8:17But just as a player who's been on a winning team and then have to have to deal with so many losses here. How has that been for you personally? I mean, obviously, everybody wants to win. I think, you know, when I came here, it was kind of a different team. And they just won the division. And obviously, we went through the rebuild. So I think my mindset kind of changed. Obviously, winning is Trump's all. Winning solves every problem. But, yeah, you don't want to get used to losing. I mean, sometimes, you know, you get into a rut. It's like, oh, here we go again. And if you start getting that mentality, I mean, you might as well just go home. Because that's hard to get out of. So I think everybody has competitive fire and wants to win. So losing is sucks. It's never fun. And you don't want to get used to it. So this game is brutal. It's so tough. And, you know, I know you have very high expectations for yourself. Like, how do you internalize what years, what you've done or not done? Because I know you wanted to do more in your first three seasons here. How are you internalizing that?

9:18Yeah, I mean, I think there's been good and bad. I think my, the last few seasons, I think the power has been coming back a little bit more. I'm starting to, you know, learn how to pick, take chances sometimes at the plate. But also, I think for me, if I'm not hitting home runs, I got to get on base more. I think that sometimes I get a little home or happy and just try to slug the post to, you know, getting on base and producing runs that way. And, you know, just hitting for a higher average is, I think, I need to start doing. These are seven done, obviously. I mean, these pictures nowadays are, it's crazy that the difference then when I first came up. Because I just know everything that you have in your arsenal. You have to get you out. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's always a cat mouse game with pictures. But I mean, now it's, everybody throws, you know, 100, it seems like with a 90 slider and 90 change up. And they might only throw a fastball 20% at the time. So, it's just a different game. And I think that, you know, you pick and choose, you know, your spots to take a shot.

10:21And against, you know, maybe a picture will dictate that or the score in the game or whatever, maybe. But I think it's becoming a more all around player again. Were you chasing slug because you looked at the lineup, your lineup. And they didn't, you guys didn't have a lot of power. And you wanted to kind of represent that power. Now that there's more power here, you can go back to being a more of an advantage. Yeah, maybe a little bit. I think that obviously home runs play in the game today. It's a quick way to score runs, especially when pitching is out of premium. You know, a couple, you know, a free run home run here, you know, a two run home run here can flip a game and dictate a game. So, yeah, but now I mean, there's, there's a lot more guys that have a lot more power than me. And so I think going into this year, I'm going to try to, you know, be on base and hopefully waiting at home plate for those guys to come around. Have you talked to the guys, the coaches about your plan? Not yet. I think I mean, we're going to do that over the course of, you know, this probably next two weeks and sit down and really hammer out what we want to do. So that, that'll definitely be a discussion we have. All right. So you want a gold glove when 2021 left?

11:2121, yeah. And I know you've been dealing with some foot stuff, Achilles stuff. How tough is it to play the outfield with Achilles injury? Yeah, I mean, it's, it's not easy at all. You know, there's, you know, stabs every single step. So no, thank God there's some, some good medication. You can take sometimes that'll kind of dull that out for a little bit. But, you know, once that wears off, it's, it's not fun. So I think we're learning now over the, obviously I've had it last two years to kind of maintain it and keep it, you know, keep it down. So it hasn't been an issue so far. Hopefully we can keep it that way. That's good. Will says he'd like to see you more daching this year. What do you think about that? Whatever you need. Not saying more daching than left field, but he'd like to see it get you off your feet. So you're able to withstand the whole season. Yeah, I mean, whatever, whatever the team needs, you know, then I mean that I'm here to help the team win. You know, my job's to show up and wherever I look and if I'm in the lineup great, if I'm not, I'll be ready.

12:23If I need to come off the bench like for me, it just comes down to winning and there's no ego with me. I'm not going to, you know, sit and, you know, be all mad that I'm, you know, deviation or wherever I hit in the lineup doesn't matter to me. Like as long as, you know, I'm helping the team anyway. That's all that matters. Adding a guy like Austin Hayes for this team offensively defensively leadership. What is he bringing? He's been awesome. I mean, obviously I've played against him for a little bit now. So I think he's a guy that, you know, he's always produced when he's out there. So I think this year will be a great time for him to, you know, obviously get the reps that he probably deserves that he hasn't gotten. In the past, but he can swing it. You know, there are no bad and gloves. It's a, it's a great look. I mean, he's tough and, you know, glad to actually be on his side that he's on this year. That says a lot about a guy. If he's willing to play Major League Baseball without gloves, there's something more going on there. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's, he's going to be tested early in the season in Chicago. So we'll see what happens there. I'm looking at your lineup. I'll be manager here. Manager Chuck Garfine.

13:26If you go like my drawther, Akunya, to you, right? And then you get into the, the hitters. I mean, that's a pretty good lineup. That's a dangerous lineup. I'm not going to deal with that off the top. What do you think about that? Yeah. I mean, Chase last year leading off. I felt like he was on base every time his first at bat. I thought I saw a stat last year that he had like 420 or something in his first, first at batteries on base, with that, that on base clip. Yeah, I mean, it's dangerous. And you got to deal with the big boys who could take any pitch out anywhere on the field. So that'd be tough. What rear impressions of Murakame when he was here? I mean, he's in WBC now. He's coming back. Yeah, no, he's been great. I think he's obviously opened up a little bit more. The more time we've spent with him and vice versa. I mean, I think his translator, Kenzo's awesome. So he's funny. I mean, he's bigger than I thought he was going to be too. I mean, he's tall. He's he's put together and he's all hard. So it's been fun so far and I'm looking for him to get back here. All right. So you're 31? 31.

14:26All right. Which is a lot younger than me. But do you feel like you've had to make some adjustments as you've gotten older to maintain and be the guy you want to be? What's kind of the biggest adjustment you've had to make at 31? Yeah. I mean, I think the older you get, obviously, the you're still younger in your mind. But I think prepping in the weight room, actually doing lifting when you don't want to lift when you don't feel like doing it. That's the most important time to get in there and do it. Just go into the training table, get in work done. In this off season, I actually watch what I ate for the first time in a while. So I try to come in at a lighter weight to take some stress off my feet. So there's little things that you always look at. Maybe just more cognizant of. You're a new hitting coach in Derek Shelman. What have you learned from him working with him? No, he's been great. He brings the energy every day. And there's a character. So I'm sure everybody will be able to hear him from the doubt. He is loud.

15:26Yeah. He brings it. I'm on TV. I mean, I've watched the spring training game in the training room. And you can hear him from that. So he's going to bring the noise, but he's been great so far. He understands, I think, everybody's routine at this point and what everybody needs. So he's been a great source. Do you use the trajectory machine? Yes, I have in the past. I am not the biggest fan of it. I think eats my lunch, but it is good to get in there and it's cool. It's a cool tool to use. It eats your lunch. Oh, I did. Yeah. It's different for me. I don't know. I can't read it out of the hand as well. Or maybe it's just because I strike out every time I seem like I use it. Do you know who went in there? I saw the clip. I saw you face scoobal. I face scoobal. Yeah. Yeah. Well, the good thing is that you know that the trajectory won't hit you. So you throw that factor in. You might not make contact. There's a couple of things that went into the equation. I knew that it was going to be around the plate that helped. Right.

16:26And those are not real baseballs. Right. They're a little softer. They're a little softer. But I did make contact. Yeah. It's maybe the highlight. Oh, compact swing. Yeah, compact swing. For sure. Yeah. It might be the highlight of my athletic career. Yeah. Not bad. You guys saw a young winner. No, I think I made it out. But I made contact. Yeah. I did get a hit. I believe off of Seth Lugo. Curval? I think that was a fastball. I think I swung and missed on the curveball. Yeah. I swung and missed on the curveball. That's brutal. Yeah. Joe Mays. I mean, Joe Ryan. Yeah. That's a brutal. Yeah. Yeah. But I had an idea of what it's like to go in there. Yeah. It's quick. It's quick. It's quick. It's quick. How have you done against school? I mean, that's a tough match-up lefty for you. Typically, those are the days I'm on the bench. But it's not a fun at bat. I mean, obviously, he's a big, big dude. And he's got arms and legs coming everywhere. And he's nasty. He's obviously, he's put back to back sign on the winner.

17:26So it's not a fun at bat at all. A few more questions. Shane Smith, opening day starter. He got emotional when he was told that he was going to be the opening day starter for you guys. And I don't normally see that. But what that showed me was what's in here. Yeah. Like, can you kind of like from what you've watched from Shane Smith, the kind of person and player and teammate competitor that he is? Can you share what Shane is as a teammate? Yeah. I mean, obviously, it's his story. It's awesome. No rule five last year, obviously. Doing all-star to opening day starter. I mean, that's pretty, pretty sick. But he works his butt off. I mean, every time I see him, he's sweat and dripping. He's in the weight room, working hard. I mean, yesterday, the pitch was doing pick offs, like throwing into a net. And he was taking it super serious. And like, you could tell he was working. But his attention to detail and is impressive. And obviously, he's nasty.

18:27He's opening day starter for a reason and he deserves it. Getting back to hitting coaches. A lot of guys have personal hitting coaches. And I've read that you really lean on your dad a lot. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Can you like talk a little bit about your relationship with your dad? No, it's, yeah. He's my hitting coach. He does know my swing better than myself. And he's, he watches almost every single game. And sometimes it's kind of annoying to hear just because I know he's right. And I don't want to believe it. But yeah, I mean, my relationship with him has been great. I think, you know, he's been there throughout everything. You know, taking the time to, you know, when I was a kid, backyard throwing. He called himself the big Texan when I was four years old. And he'd throw it pretty hard and I'd whack it around. And now he's been there every step of the way. And it's cool. The moments I've been able to have on the field, I've been able to share with them. My mom too. So I'm in my sister's. So they all mean a lot to me.

19:27And no, it's, yeah, but going back to the swing thing. He is my hitting coach. And I'm sure I'll get a text after he watches the game today or the highlights. And I'll get a little critique here and there. So if I do, I'll let you know. Yeah, let me, I don't know. Like what, what kind of things does he say? Is it all positive if you go four for four? Or are they still finding something they didn't like? No, he's positive. He's kind of, I guess I'm like him. Where if you do well, it's expected. It's like, oh, that's as well as supposed to do. If it goes bad, then of course you're going to, you know, find things to critique. So it's just little things. Stride direction, bat path, swing or swing decisions. Why'd you swing at that pitch? Why'd you swing at that slider in the dirt? Because I thought it was a fastball. Yeah. No, but, uh, yeah. So his bedside matter, not always great. No, it is. It's comes from a good place. No, but he's positive a lot of the time. And he understands how hard this game is. So I hit with him a lot this off season. So when you say you hit with him now, I mean, how old is he?

20:2760. 60. Now is he throwing BP or is he just watching you? No, no, he's, he's put the ball in the tee and he's, he's doing flips. I throw in BP's a little tough for him now. And, you know, I think most of the balls would end up in the back of the net instead of, you know, be hitting him. So he feeds the machine. But yeah, I mean, it's fine. He got behind, uh, or he got in the box a little bit this off season two. And I cranked the machine up. He made contact a few times. So, uh, yeah. All right. It's not too bad. Yeah. What are you working on right now at the plate? I think just getting my depths down as far as contact point, I think. No, before I had a little side thing, which was nothing. Just a few days of soreness. Um, I was, I think I was going pretty well. And then obviously you don't play for four days. Um, so getting, getting back into the swing of things. Um, just not trying to be in a rush at the plate and keeping my direction towards center. You're Italian, right? Mm hmm. Did you want to play for WBC?

21:28Was that like on the, the horizon for you? Is there a possibility there? I, I, I talked about it last year with Drew Boutera a little bit. Um, but I think obviously with my, some of the injuries I dealt with last year, I think. I was like, I'll just come to camp. Um, maybe that's something down the road. I don't know. I mean, I don't think I'm cracking that team USA lineup. So, uh, yeah, team Italy. I mean, my, my grandpa, obviously that whole lineage from, from Italy. So I don't know. We'll see. I, I don't want to say no ever. Um, but you never know. What does your Italian heritage mean to you? I mean, is it a big part of your life? Or it's just like, yeah, that's grandpa, but I'm more of an American. And that doesn't really use it. Pretty much that. Yeah, yeah. No, no, no, no, um, grandma grandpa. That's, that's what we call them. Um, but yeah, I mean, it's cool. I think obviously the growing up, we had some nice Italian food that we, we always eat. So, um, no, it's, it's, it's nice to have.

22:28Are you texting Kyle and Sam who are playing in the WBC right now? Not currently. I don't, I don't want to mess anything up. Oh, yeah. Okay. I mean, they seem to be doing pretty well. So I'm a big, uh, superstition guy. So I'm gonna keep it that way. Uh, okay, this is not gonna be superstitious, but what are you seeing from them? How are they're playing? Specifically Sam. I mean, Sam's like, come out of nowhere. Yeah. And there's a lot of buzz about him. Yeah, I mean, obviously you've seen some of the power he's produced so far this spring. I mean, what he's doing in the WBCs. Um, he's, he's built too. I mean, he's, he said he wanted to get stronger this off season. He has. Oh, yeah. I mean, he's hitting the ball, you know, 110 miles an hour and, um, no, he's, he's got a lot of potential. And it's someone nice to have in our, in our organization. So, and then obviously Kyle is, he's just he hits. Um, he's just a baseball player. He loves the game and, um, he's a grinder. Yeah. So you say you want this to be gritty. And I look at this clubhouse. I mean, that's my broth. That's you. That's teal. That's Sam. Yeah. For sure.

23:28If he makes the team, I mean, that's, that does, you're gonna be a lot of boppers and then guys who like are gonna be tough. Yeah. At bats. Right. Um, is that something that you guys talk about or is just kind of happening? I feel like it's kind of the, I don't know the, I hate the word identity. Yeah. Like things like that or, um, the culture, which I think it, if you try to force culture, I think that's when it's like kind of fake. Um, but I do feel like the feeling that's at least felt for me is like that gritty. That, you know, do the, do the hard work, um, you know, do whatever it takes to help the team win. Uh, whether it be staying in there, getting drilled by a pitch basis low to like this, this team's gonna do that. Yeah. I felt like the previous era as someone who watches the team, I would see other teams that had that culture. Mm hmm. And it looked real. Right. Yeah. And I think, I don't know if it was forced here, but I think people are thinking like we need something too. Right. But you can't create that. Yeah. I think it just happens naturally. Yeah.

24:28It depends on also the players in their style of play. Um, but yeah, that group in there, I think a bunch of grinders, um, and we'll do whatever it takes. Uh, well, last thing, when White Sox fans look back at this season, what do you want them to be able to say about the 2026 White Sox? Uh, I think it's played hard. I think we're taking strides in the right direction. Um, and, you know, it's, it's, I don't know what to say. It's too far in the future that this team is really competing for not in just for divisions. It's playoffs and then hopefully the World Series and things like that. So, um, yeah, I don't think anybody in this clubhouse right now, um, is, is throwing this season away. Like a word, we don't have a chance or anything like that. So it's, um, take it a game at a time, a week at a time. See where we go and then play hard from there. So, um, just continuing to take steps in the right direction, which I think this year is going to be a big step. Yeah, because I talked to some guys like Austin Hayes, who lived it in Baltimore.

25:30It doesn't take much to turn it on. Right. Like it just, you have to turn it on. But once it's on, it can stay on for a while. And then you're talking about a whole different season. Is that kind of how you are looking at this team? Yeah, I mean, I think that's a great example of over those last 100 games the next year. And was it, was that what it was? They lost 100, then they won 83, then they won 100. Right. Yeah, so I mean, boom, right there. I mean, who's to say that can't be us? Definitely have the pieces in play. And, um, no, I think the attitude and the willingness to win. And do what it takes to win is definitely that clubhouse. All right. If anything, it's your time. I appreciate it. Thank you. All right. And we're going to attendee and a couple of planes on the White Sox podcast. Hot carols and take it away. All right, our Chuck, this edition of the White Sox podcast. Here's homework.