The Chicago White Sox are playing more competitive games in 2025 than they did last season, but the team is still 19-43 with far too many holes on the Major League roster.
This year's Sox roster is frustrating. Sure, they don't have much high-end talent, but I don't expect them to at this stage in the rebuild. My real issue with the current iteration of the team is how many players are taking up roster spots and/or playing time that are a complete waste of space.
There are three players on the White Sox active 26-man roster that have no business being in the Major Leagues, and they have been detrimental to the team's success.
Jared Shuster
The White Sox like the idea of having three left-handed pitchers available in the bullpen. With Fraser Ellard and Tyler Gilbert both on the Injured List, that has opened the door for Jared Shuster to throw some innings in the big leagues.
In 12 appearances and 15.2 innings this season, Shuster has an ERA of 8.04 and a 2.04 WHIP. He has allowed 14 runs on 27 hits.
Shuster is a puzzling case study. He is in the 98th percentile in average exit velocity and the 96th percentile in hard-hit percentage. But despite being elite in those areas, the expected batting average against him is .299, which is in the 7th percentile. He doesn't miss enough bats and doesn't eat enough innings to be worth a roster spot.
Why trot Shuster out to the mound twice a week to get knocked around when you could call up someone with more upside like Adisyn Coffey, Wikelmen González, or Peyton Pallette? Having a third lefty is overrated. Cam Booser and Brandon Eisert are doing just fine.
Vinny Capra
I truly cannot come up with a reason why Vinny Capra is on the White Sox active roster or why the team has decided to continue writing him a big league paycheck for as long as they have.
Capra hit .074 with an OPS of .250 after spending six weeks in the Major Leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers. The White Sox claimed Capra off waivers on May 15th, but did not let him touch a bat until May 24th.
He has now been with the team for 18 games and has just 14 plate appaearnces. He has only taken a plate appearance in five games since being claimed and most of his at-bats are laughably uncompetitive.
Capra is not an exceptional defensive replacement on the infield, especially with his natural position being third base. He provides no offensive value. He's 28 years old with no upside. How is he worth a roster spot over someone like Bryan Ramos? The best thing he has done in a White Sox uniform is throw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Make it make sense.
Josh Rojas
Another player I'd like to see lose a roster spot to Ramos is veteran infielder Josh Rojas. I've been advocating for Rojas' to be benched for a while now, and while it seemed like the Sox were starting to listen, the injury to Lenyn Sosa has now thrust Rojas back into the everyday lineup.
Rojas is hitting .145 with a .412 OPS in 87 plate appearances this season. He has been an automatic out at the plate and isn't playing particularly good defense to make him worth keeping around.
At -0.6 fWAR this season, Rojas is worse than every 2025 White Sox player not named Andrew Vaughn or Jacob Amaya. Both of those guys were sent to the minor leagues for poor performance.
I'm not sure what the solution is. Maybe the Sox could call up Ramos and give Miguel Vargas some looks at second base until Lenyn Sosa comes back. Maybe it's bringing back Brooks Baldwin after he slugged five home runs in 12 games with Triple-A Charlotte.
For all I care, they can bring Andre Lipcius up from Triple-A (.858 OPS in the minor leagues) and give him a shot. I just can't stand to watch players be pathetic at the plate while not making up for it defensively.