Earlier in the 2024-25 MLB offseason, the Seattle Mariners faced a ton of roster decisions when it came to their arbitration-eligible players. A handful of them were no-brainers, but there were also quite a few that the club passed on tendering contracts to altogether.
In the end, the Mariners cut bait with pitchers Austin Voth and JT Chargois, as well as infielders Sam Haggerty and Josh Rojas. Three of the four remain on the open market, with Rojas reportedly latching on with the cellar-dwelling Chicago White Sox, as first reported by Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
Rojas, 30, just wrapped up his first full season on the Mariners, but it wasn't exactly a great one. The utilityman finished his year with eight home runs and 31 RBI across 142 games, hitting just .225 with a ghastly .641 OPS and 91 OPS+. Unfortunately, this production didn't even come close to the output he had in the second half of the 2023 season.
Former Mariner Josh Rojas signs with Chicago White Sox
Rojas' defensive versatility is his biggest calling card at this point, as he finished in the 94th percentile in Outs Above Average in 2024. He made at least one appearance at first, second, and third base while logging six games in left field. In the past, he's also proven to be a competent defender at shortstop and in right field.
The Mariners still need help all around their infield, but it was clear that Rojas was not meant to be a part of their 2025 roster. They have enough light-hitting, defense-first players on the roster, so Rojas' down year at the dish was more than enough to earn him that non-tender.
Now, the six-year veteran will take his talents to the south side of Chicago, where he's currently projected to be their No. 5 hitter on Opening Day (yes, you read that right). Playing on the White Sox is a nice way for Rojas to rebuild some value out of the national spotlight, but he's going to go from a contending Mariners club to a White Sox team that would be lucky to even sniff 50 wins in the upcoming season.