White Sox Make Sneaky Move That Could Pay Off At The Deadline
Chris Getz has been busy in 2025, as he has reportedly made another acquisition. According to Scott Merkin, the White Sox have signed utility-man Josh Rojas to a one year deal. Rojas is currently 30, but will turn 31 in the middle of the season.
White Sox agree to one-year deal with Josh Rojas, a source confirms to https://t.co/G34Or1gtT9: https://t.co/qgaQzYubMd
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 2, 2025
At first glance this is a very solid move, as Rojas was a 2.2 WAR player last season. This would have ranked him as the best position player on the White Sox, beating out Luis Robert’s. 1.4 WAR.
Last year Rojas played 142 games for the Seattle Mariners where he hit .225 with a .304 OBP. He added eight homeruns, 31 RBIs, and stole 10 bases. Most of Rojas’s value comes in the field, where he is an elite defender. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 94th percentile in outs above average, which puts him among the best in the game.
Josh Rojas posted a .932 OPS, 3 HR, 3 2B, 3B in April…today, he’s jobless. Baseball. pic.twitter.com/bYxwLHUtp5
— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) November 23, 2024
Rojas can play all the positions in the infield and has played the outfield, but last year Seattle had him playing 3rd base primarily. Since it is a major league deal, you can expect him to compete to start at any of the spots in the infield, as nobody is set in stone for the starting job.
JOSH ROJAS TAKES A HOMER AWAY FROM FERNANDO TATIS JR. pic.twitter.com/8CHRk445le
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) April 29, 2021
In the past, Rojas has been much more successful with the bat, as after he was traded to the Mariners in 2023, he hit .272 with four homeruns and 14 RBIs in 46 games. 2022 was Rojas’ best season, as he had a 3.1 WAR in 125 games, as he hit .269 with 9 homeruns, 56 RBIs, and had 23 stolen bases.
Coming off a slight offensive down year in 2024 was enough for the Mariners to non-tender him, as they look to completely rebuild their offense, though they haven’t made any significant moves. This signing is one of the more obvious sign and trade at the deadline moves, as Rojas will likely get consistent playing time at one of the infield spots to boost his trade value
If Rojas can replicate his second half with Seattle in 2023 or his 2022 season with the Diamondbacks, the White Sox could flip him for a very solid prospect at the deadline, as teams are always looking for defensive infielders that can provide something with the bat during their playoff run.