Two days into 2025, the White Sox are on pace for 365 transactions.
They followed up Wednesday's trade for Tyler Gilbert by signing infielder Josh Rojas to a one-year deal, according to Scott Merkin and confirmed by James Fegan. The terms are not yet known. Rojas, 30, hit free agency for the first time after the Mariners non-tendered him in November. He was projected to earn $4.3 million in his second year of arbitration.
Rojas, who came up with the Diamondbacks and gives the White Sox another guy who overlapped with Josh Barfield there, spent all of last season with the Mariners. He hit .225/.304/.336 while playing mostly third base, although he also made appearances at second base, left field and first base. He's also pitched two innings in each of the last two years, which is a service that the White Sox will probably test coming off a 121-loss season.
Rojas' left-handedness balances a mostly right-handed infield, depending on the White Sox's immediate plans for the switch-hitting Brooks Baldwin. Rojas also brings a few defined strengths: history of double-digit steals, a walk rate that hovers around 10 percent, and plus defense at multiple infield positions. Both DRS (+7) and Statcast (+6) loved his defense at third base last season, as well as his spot work at second (+2).
Although Rojas signed a one-year deal, he has a fourth year of arbitration eligibility afterward due to his Super Two status, although Seattle's non-tendering shows that team control might be a moot point if his projected salary once again exceeds his market value. He also has an option remaining, which could prove useful since Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa and Jacob Amaya are out of them.
That talk seems premature for multiple reasons. Rojas is coming off a 2 WAR season, which no other position player on the White Sox can claim. He also had other teams reportedly interested in his services, so I imagine the White Sox gave him some role assurances. They could certainly use his defense, because most infield combinations look rather raggedy without him.
