White Sox latest roster move is both confusing and frustrating

When Andrew Benintendi left the White Sox game against Houston on Sunday with left calf tightness, fans and spectators were hopeful that it was just a precaution and Benintendi wouldn’t miss any time. Two stints on the Injured List before May 15th isn’t ideal for any player, but especially for Benintendi, who is looking to build on a strong second half of 2024 and make himself appealing to a contending club looking for outfield help.

Benintendi was out of the lineup on both Monday and Tuesday against the Royals, but according to the White Sox television broadcast, manager Will Venable mentioned that he might be available off the bench.

Unfortunately, Wednesday afternoon brought the disappointing news that Benintendi was heading back to the injured list, this time with a calf strain. 

White Sox bring back Nick Maton

In a corresponding, and somewhat surprising move, the White Sox selected the contract of Nick Maton from Charlotte, who they designated for assignment less than two weeks prior.

Maton batted just .170 with a .611 OPS and a pair of homers in 53 at-bats over his first big league stint with the White Sox. 13 of his 15 starts came at DH. Maton was just 1-for-10 since being sent to Charlotte, but quickly found himself being brought back to the big leagues anyways.

The Sox need an outfielder

The decision to bring Maton back to the roster is an interesting one for multiple reasons. With the recent returns of Chase Meidroth and Josh Rojas, the White Sox infield is fairly crowded. Andrew Vaughn, Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth, Josh Rojas, Lenyn Sosa, Brooks Baldwin, and Jacob Amaya are all primarily infielders. While Maton has made an appearance in the outfield this season, he’s played just two innings there, and has been an infielder for the entirety of his career.

Without Benintendi, the White Sox are looking pretty thin in the outfield. Luis Robert Jr., Michael A. Taylor, and Joshua Palacios are the only natural outfielders on the roster. Baldwin has been serviceable in the corners this season out of necessity, but he's clearly more comfortable with his feet in the dirt.

Adding another outfielder to the roster seemed like it would’ve made more sense with the current construction of the team. Chicago's 40-man roster was at 39, and they needed to add Maton back to the 40-man roster before bringing him up. The roster chess game was not a factor in this situation. 

Maton is not Chicago's best option

Aside from the questionable positional fit, Maton’s performance has left a lot to be desired, and it’s not that he's having a "down season." Maton’s season OPS+ of 80 is right in line with his career mark of 82.

He has simply never been an above-average hitter at the major league level. He’s 28 years old and doesn’t figure to be part of the long-term future of the team. If the White Sox were going to call up someone who isn't a natural fit on the roster positionally and will primarily contribute at 1B and DH, Tim Elko is still waiting patiently in Charlotte.

One outfielder that could’ve been considered over Maton is Dominic Fletcher. Fletcher, acquired from Arizona in a trade before the 2024 season, is hitting .265 with six (6) home runs in 25 games in Charlotte.

While he struggled offensively during an extended look in the major leagues last season, Fletcher spent the offseason working on his swing, and has seemingly tapped into his power more in the minors. Fletcher has always put up solid numbers defensively, and at 27 years-old, 2025 felt like a make or break season for his career. However, he has yet to get an opportunity to contribute at the Major League level. Benintendi's injury felt like a perfect opportunity for Fletcher to get some reps, but instead, his at-bats will go to Maton. 

I wouldn't even be opposed to the White Sox taking another look at outfielder Corey Julks, who is currently tearing up minor league pitching in Charlotte.

Like Fletcher, Julks also struggled during an extended look with the White Sox in 2024. He hit just .214 with an OPS under .600.

Julks is off to a red hot start in Charlotte this season, hitting .364 with a .440 OBP in 88 at-bats. Although he’s already 29 and likely isn’t young enough to have a huge impact on the future of the White Sox, they’re in need of another outfielder, and it can’t hurt to see if his hot start can carry over to the big leagues.

With an open roster spot and lack of depth in the outfield, the move to bring up Nick Maton doesn't make much sense. If position don't matter, why not bring up someone with a little more upside? And if they do, why bring up someone with very minimal experience in the outfield?

It remains to be seen how long Benintendi will be out and how long Maton’s second big-league stint of the year will last, but for the sake of the White Sox, let’s hope it isn’t long.