The White Sox granted Eaton his unconditional release Monday.

EDGE Analysis

Eaton will hit the open market after no organization was willing to put a waiver claim in for the veteran outfielder and the money remaining on his one-year, $7 million deal when Chicago designated him for assignment last week. The 32-year-old has long been one of baseball's better contact hitters, but he's taken a big step back in that department in 2021. Over his 219 plate appearances, Eaton struck out at a 25.1 percent clip -- well above his 17.3 percent career rate. Eaton's declining bat-to-ball skills and lack of power will likely force him to settle for a depth role in the outfield if he finds an opportunity with another club.