Travis Jankowski Signs With White Sox

It’s currently unclear when the Cubs released Jankowski, but he was redirected to the Minor League camp on Sunday. This was one of the team’s final roster trims before finalizing the 31-man travel roster for the Japan trip.

Jankowski also joined the Cubs on a minor league pact on February 21st. In seven Spring Training games with the Cubs this year, the 34-year-old outfielder collected three hits, five runs, three walks, and three RBIs. With two of Chicago’s top six prospects being Triple-A outfielders, and the Cubs’ bench spots secured by others like Gage Workman, Vidal Brujan, Jon Berti and Justin Turner, there wasn’t much room for Jankowski in the organization.

Jankowski will reunite with his former bench coach Will Venable, who was hired as the White Sox manager in October after spending two years as a coach with the Texas Rangers under Bruce Bochy. During those two years, Jankowski was a bench bat and backup outfielder for the Rangers, amassing a 1.4 bWAR during the team’s World Series run in 2023.

On Wednesday, Jankowski did not expand on his chances of making the White Sox’s Opening Day roster, but there is an opening with Andrew Benintendi set to start the season on the injured list with a fractured hand. Fellow outfielders Austin Slater and Oscar Colas have also been banged up in camp with an oblique strain and wrist sprain respectively, possibly increasing Jankowski's chances.