Free-agent outfielder Michael Taylor and the Chicago White Sox agreed to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. Taylor became a free agent last September when he was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and now he'll be heading to the American League Central to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training. The 33-year-old veteran has primarily been an asset for his defense and speed during his 11 seasons in the big leagues with four different teams. He really struggled in 2024 with the Bucs, slashing .193/.253/.290 with a career-worst .543 OPS, five home runs, 21 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 35 runs scored in 113 games and 300 plate appearances. In Chicago, he'll be competing for a bench spot behind outfielders Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Oscar Colas, Dominic Fletcher and Austin Slater. You can avoid Taylor in fantasy.

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez and outfielder Michael Taylor for assignment on Tuesday and recalled infielder Liover Peguero and outfielder Joshua Palacios from Triple-A Indianapolis in corresponding moves. The Pirates have decided to move on from a couple of veterans with the end of the 2024 regular season quickly approaching on Sunday. The 29-year-old Tellez has really struggled of late and will finish his season with a .243/.299/.392 slash line, a below-average .691 OPS, 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 131 games played for the Bucs. Connor Joe and Billy Cook figure to split first-base duties the rest of the week. Taylor, 33, hit a lowly .193/.253/.290 with five home runs, 21 RBI and 12 stolen bases in a reserve role in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Michael Taylor will begin Friday's game at PNC Park against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds on the bench. Ji Hwan Bae will patrol center field for the Bucs and will hit ninth against Reds right-handed opener Buck Farmer. Taylor started in the outfield in seven of the team's last eight games but will take a seat on Friday in favor of Bae. The 33-year-old veteran is hitting under the Mendoza Line this year in 247 at-bats with only four homers, 20 RBI and 10 stolen bases in a part-time role in Pittsburgh. He could use a day off after going hitless with a walk and 11 strikeouts in his last 18 plate appearances over the last five games. Bae, who hits from the left side, will be a deep DFS sleeper to avoid out of the nine-hole. The 25-year-old South Korean is still searching for his first home run of the year and has four RBI and six steals in 65 at-bats.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Michael Taylor will take a seat on the bench on Friday for the start of a series at Wrigley Field against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Taylor will retreat to the bench after starting the last four games while going 2-for-13 with a double, two runs scored and five strikeouts to drop his season slash line to a weak .222/.271/.287. The 33-year-old veteran outfielder has added only one home run, eight RBI, three stolen bases and 12 runs scored for the Bucs through a month and a half of the season. Jack Suwinski is getting the start in center field and is batting sixth, while Connor Joe will be in right field while hitting cleanup against Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Both Joe and Suwinski are worth a look as DFS sleepers in the outfield on Friday against a pitcher who currently holds an 0-3 record and 10.04 ERA.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Michael Taylor are not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. With both players out, Bryan Reynolds will serve as the designated hitter and bat second, while Jack Suwinski will cover center field and hit eighth against A's right-hander Ross Stripling. Connor Joe is manning left field and batting third in the order. The veteran McCutchen has gotten off to a slow start in 2024, hitting just .190 (15-for-79) with three home runs, seven RBI and one steal. Taylor has been a bit better with a .253 average (19-for-75), but he has yet to go deep with six RBI and three stolen bases. Reynolds is a daily must-start in season-long fantasy leagues, while Joe is a nice low-cost DFS play with an average just under .300 in his first 89 at-bats in 2024.

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher/outfielder Henry Davis and outfielder Michael Taylor will start on the bench on Monday for the series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers. Joey Bart will do the catching for the Bucs and will hit ninth, while Jack Suwinski is in center field and batting cleanup against Tigers right-hander Reese Olson. This will be Bart's second start in the last three games, and he could see more time behind the plate with Davis starting off his second MLB season just 4-for-30 at the plate. It helps Bart's cause that both Yasmani Grandal (foot) and Jason Delay (knee) are currently on the injured list. This will be Taylor's third straight game starting on the bench. Suwinski is just 6-for-34 (.176) in the early going but will have elevated DFS sleeper appeal in the cleanup spot on Monday.

Taylor announced his retirement from baseball Tuesday, MLB.com's Jane Lee reports.

Taylor was once a top prospect in all of baseball, but he had trouble reaching the top level, let alone sticking in the majors, and will retire with just 37 MLB games under his belt.

Updating a previous report, Taylor declined his outright assignment to Triple-A Charlotte and is now a minor-league free agent, Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports.

Rather than head back to Charlotte, Taylor, 28, has opted to seek an opportunity elsewhere. Although he's hit just .167/.254/.216 in parts of four seasons at the major league level, Taylor has fared well at Triple-A (.278/.369/.441) and should have little trouble latching on as organizational depth with another club.

Taylor was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Taylor, who was acquired from the A's in mid-June, earned a September call-up by batting .306/.386/.489 with six homers in 64 games with Charlotte. The 28-year-old went 7-for-28 with a double and five walks in 11 games with the big club, which simply wasn't enough to maintain a spot on the team's 40-man roster.

Taylor (knee) is back in the lineup Friday.

He hasn't played in a week because of a knee injury, but he'll return to left field Friday, hitting seventh in the order.

Taylor has a right knee injury and will be unavailable Monday, the Chicago Tribune's Colleen Kane reports.

An MRI showed that it isn't a tear, but the team is looking at draining fluids from it. He should be considered day-to-day, and is an even less appealing fantasy option than previously.

The White Sox purchased Taylor's contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

He was the only September addition not previously on the 40-man roster, and he earned the start in left field in his first game with the big league club. Taylor slashed .306/.386/.489 in 254 plate appearances for Triple-A Charlotte after coming to the organization from Oakland, but his prospect status from the late-00's has worn off. There is some playing time to be had in left field with Alejandro De Aza now in Baltimore, and Taylor should share some of that time with Dayan Viciedo and Jordan Danks.

White Sox acquired OF Michael Taylor from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Jake Sanchez.

The former top prospect has fallen out of favor with several organizations and was outrighted off the Athletics roster earlier this season. He was hitting .243/.357/.385 with five homers and 31 RBI through 59 games at Triple-A Sacramento in the offensive-rich Pacific Coast League.

Athletics sent OF Michael Taylor outright to Triple-A Sacramento.

Taylor was designated for assignment by the A's at the end of spring training after he failed to claim an Opening Day roster spot. The 28-year-old has been a very productive hitter in the minor leagues, so it's a bit surprising that he made it through waivers unclaimed. He'll go on serving as organizational outfield depth for Oakland.

Athletics designated OF Michael Taylor for assignment.

The move wasn't unexpected, as the A's didn't have a place for the 28-year-old and he was out of options. Taylor batted .274/.348/.532 with three home runs this spring and will likely get claimed by another club in the coming days.

According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, the A's are expected to place Michael Taylor on waivers.

Heyman suspects that Taylor could draw interest because of the strong offensive numbers that he has posted this spring. The 28-year-old outfielder owns a decent .811 OPS in 482 games at the Triple-A level. He's never really been given a shot in the major leagues.

Michael Taylor went 2-for-5 with a double, triple, three RBI and two runs scored against the White Sox on Tuesday.

Taylor has had an outstanding spring to date, now hitting .313. Nine of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases. If the Athletics can't find room for Taylor on the 25-man roster, they should generate some interest if they make him available in a trade.

Michael Taylor went 1-for-3 with a home run against the Dodgers on Monday.

Taylor put the A's on the board with a solo shot against Hyun-Jin Ryu in the fifth inning. He is now hitting .323 with two home runs in the Cactus League, an impressive showing. There doesn't appear to be room for him in the outfield, and Sam Fuld is ahead of him on the depth chart, but he is certainly making a strong case for inclusion.

Michael Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run on Wednesday against the Brewers.

Taylor has had a nice couple of days in the Cactus League. He homered off of Yovani Gallardo in the second inning, then doubled and scored in the sixth. He went 3-for-3 with a double on Tuesday. Still, there just isn't any room on the roster for Taylor and even if there were, Sam Fuld would have the inside track at this point in time.

Michael Taylor went 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored on Tuesday against the Brewers.

It is certainly a nice showing from the outfielder, but Taylor will open up the season in Triple-A again.