The Chicago White Sox have placed outfielder Austin Slater (knee) on the 10-day injured list with a right knee meniscus tear. In a corresponding move, the White Sox promoted outfielder Greg Jones from Triple-A. Slater was unable to play on Friday due to this injury. However, given the severity of the injury, fantasy managers should expect Slater to miss at least the next few months. Through the early part of the campaign, the 32-year-old has posted a .250/.250/.500 slash line. Last season, Slater spent time with the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Baltimore Orioles. Across 84 total games, Slater posted a .209/.321/.266 slash line. While Slater remains sidelined, Brooks Baldwin, Joshua Palacio, and Greg Jones will share time in right field.
Chicago White Sox outfielder Austin Slater (oblique) was scratched from Monday's starting lineup due to a left oblique strain. Fantasy managers should expect the 32-year-old to be sidelined for a few games. The team has not provided an update regarding the severity of the strain. Earlier in the offseason, the White Sox signed Slater to a one-year $1.75 million. Last season, Slater spent time with the Giants, Reds, and Orioles. Across 84 MLB contests, he held a .209/.321/.266 slash line with two home runs and three stolen bases. He showed an elite eye at the plate as he drew walks at a 12.3 percent rate but only generated a modest .232 xBA. When healthy, Slater will likely operate in a platoon role but could be in line to see more opportunities at the start of the season with Andrew Benintendi (hand) sidelined with a hand fracture.
Free-agent veteran outfielder Austin Slater agreed to an undisclosed major-league deal with the Chicago White Sox on Monday. It's not the greatest landing spot for Slater in terms of fantasy purposes, but he should at least see a short-side platoon in Chicago against left-handed pitchers in 2025 on what will likely be a one-year deal. The 31-year-old right-handed-hitting outfielder has traditionally handled lefty pitchers well in his career, although he struggled against them in 2024 with the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles, slashing .188/.310/.231 against them with one of his two home runs on the year and 11 RBI in 142 plate appearances. Slater will be hoping to bounce back offensively for the Pale Hose next season. With a low ceiling and low floor, Slater should only be considered in deep mixed and AL-only leagues in 2025.
Ryan O'Hearn, Austin Slater Not Starting In Game 1
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and outfielder Austin Slater are not included in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards on Tuesday. In addition, catcher James McCann will be behind the dish and will hit ninth against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans. Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter and is batting fifth, while Colton Cowser starts in left field and bats sixth. O'Hearn ended the regular season on a tear with the bat but did not have a single one of his 15 home runs on the year against left-handed pitchers. With veteran righty Seth Lugo set to start for KC in Game 2 on Wednesday, expect the lefty-hitting O'Hearn to be back in at DH for the O's. Slater has hit just .209 combined in 2024 with two homers and 18 RBI in 177 at-bats with the Orioles, San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds.
Austin Slater Hitting Leadoff For Orioles On Saturday
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Slater will be batting leadoff for the Orioles on Saturday as they face the Cleveland Guardians and scheduled starter Joey Cantillo. Slater was acquired by the Orioles from the Cincinnati Reds at the trade deadline and has made one plate appearance for the Orioles, a pinch hit single in Friday's 10-3 loss to the Guardians. Slater was generally used in a platoon role against southpaws when he was with the Giants and batted near the bottom of the order in his short time with the Cincinnati Reds. It's too early to tell if Slater hitting leadoff will be a regular thing for Baltimore, or if he'll be relegated to a platoon role like he had with the Giants, but fantasy managers looking for the 31-year-old to show his .543 OPS is a fluke will hope he gets plenty of opportunities in the leadoff spot to crank that number up.
Newly acquired outfielder Austin Slater will bat sixth in the Reds lineup on Thursday in their home matchup versus the Rockies. Slater came over from the Giants in a trade on Monday and debuted with the team on Wednesday, going 1-for-3 while batting out of the six-hole in that contest as well. Hopefully a change of scenery will benefit Slater, as he comes into Thursday batting .204 but is a career .254 hitter. His .286 BABIP compared to a career BABIP of .342 suggests he's been very unlucky at the plate this season, but he continues to get on base thanks to a keen eye, recording an above-average walk rate of 13.9% so far in 2024.
The Cincinnati Reds acquired outfielder Austin Slater and cash considerations from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in exchange for left-hander Alex Young. Slater, a former eighth-round pick of the Giants out of Stanford in 2014, hit just .200 (18-for-90) with a home run, nine RBI, two steals and 12 runs scored in limited playing time in San Francisco this year. The 31-year-old veteran right-handed-hitting outfielder has a career .254/.344/.391 slash line with a .736 OPS, 39 home runs, 162 RBI and 47 stolen bases in 593 career games with the Giants. In Cincinnati, he'll likely fill in on the short side of a platoon in a corner-outfield spot against left-handed pitching. The Reds could use the outfield depth with Will Benson struggling and with both TJ Friedl (hamstring) and Nick Martini (thumb) currently on the injured list. Stuart Fairchild (back) is also banged up, and Jake Fraley is currently away from the team for personal reasons.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater (concussion) cleared the concussion protocol and started a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. Slater suffered a concussion after running into the center-field wall while trying to make a catch in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park on May 10. He continued to experience fogginess and blurry vision the next day, which prompted the Giants to put him on the seven-day concussion injured list. After missing more than two weeks due to his head injury, the 31-year-old is finally feeling better and has returned to game action. If he continues to progress, Slater could be an option to be activated and rejoin the team this weekend. When healthy, Slater is an option for the short side of a platoon in San Fran's outfield against lefties. He's gone just 5-for-39 (.128) on the year with no homers.
Austin Slater Dealing With Concussion-Like Symptoms
San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater (head) left Friday night's loss to the Cincinnati Reds with concussion-like symptoms, according to the team. Slater crashed into the center field wall while trying to make a catch in the first inning. The Giants placed outfielder/Jorge Soler (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list before Friday's game, so if Slater's head injury is serious enough to send him to the shelf, too, the Giants outfield depth will be tested. Slater went hitless in his only at-bat as the Giants' leadoff hitter on Friday before being replaced by Michael Conforto. If Slater requires a trip to the seven-day concussion injured list, it would open up more opportunities for Heliot Ramos in San Fran's outfield. Slater, 31, only has 49 plate appearances this year and has recorded five hits (no homers) while walking eight times and striking out 12 times.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater (elbow) is throwing at a distance of 150 feet and said he has been cleared to play in spring training games. He did cutoffs and relays in camp on Thursday for the first time since having elbow surgery in October, which also included moving his ulnar nerve. Barring some sort of a setback this spring, Slater is expected to be ready to roll defensively for Opening Day in late March. After two straight seasons with over 100 games played, the 31-year-old made it through only 89 games with the Giants in 2023, slashing .270/.348/.400 with five homers and 20 RBI in 207 plate appearances. He's been a lefty killer in his career, which means he's expected to fill a short-sided platoon role yet again in San Fran in 2024.