Another old friend of the White Sox is back in the big leagues. That is, if you can call a player who played just 69 games for the team and couldn’t reach the Mendoza line a friend. Regardless, the Kansas City Royals have called infielder Josh Rojas up to their big league roster after signing him to a minor league deal this offseason. The Royals have dramatically underperformed in the early part of the season and enter the weekend 10.5 games back in the AL Central. They’re hoping the 31-year-old journeyman can provide their lineup with a spark, but they’ll likely learn the same lesson the White Sox did in short order.
Rojas, a 26th-round pick of the Astros in 2017, debuted in the big leagues for the Diamondbacks in 2019. He spent the first four and a half years of his career in Arizona, where he reached league-average offensive production in 2021 and 2022. Rojas was shipped to the Mariners in a 2023 deadline trade and spent 189 games in Seattle over the 2023 and 2024 seasons before hitting free agency prior to 2025. The White Sox added Rojas hoping he could provide depth in their infield until the arrival of their young talent. Unfortunately, his stint in Chicago was underwhelming.
Josh Rojas failed with the White Sox but now earns another chance
In 69 games in 2025, Rojas slashed .180/.252/.259 with a .511 OPS. His season didn’t begin until May due to a fractured toe suffered in the spring, and he lasted until August 22nd on the White Sox roster before being designated for assignment and released. The Royals added Rojas on a minor league deal this offseason and he began the season with Triple-A Omaha before getting the call earlier this week. In 49 games in Triple-A, Rojas posted a modest .746 OPS with six home runs. He pinch hit on Thursday and drove in two runs with a single, so his Royals tenure is off to a good start, but it’s unlikely to stay that way.
Hello, Josh Rojas‼️ pic.twitter.com/xB3xEySyGq
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 5, 2026
At this stage in his career, Rojas’ most important ability is his versatility. In 2025, he was near the bottom of the league in hard-hit percentage, bat speed, and barrel percentage. His exit velocities were middle-of-the-road, and his -7 OAA was one of the worst marks in baseball despite his experience at multiple positions. It’s a move that reeks of desperation for the Royals to find a big league player to put on their roster, even though it doesn’t necessarily improve their outlook at all.
Regardless of Josh Rojas’ eventual impact on the Royals, I’m glad the Josh Rojas era in Chicago is done, and I don’t want to go back to relying on that level of player to play a crucial role anymore. Perhaps the Royals can be the team to rejuvenate the career of a 31-year-old journeyman seemingly on his last legs.
More likely than not, though, the Royals are about to learn a very difficult lesson that White Sox fans are all-too-familiar with.
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