It was Opening Day once more on the South Aspect.
No less than it was for White Sox infielder Josh Rojas.
“I felt like I used to be out eternally,” Rojas stated.
It wasn’t eternally, however Rojas is lastly off the injured checklist and made his Sox debut greater than a month later than he’d hoped when he signed a free-agent deal in January.
A veteran of six huge league seasons with the Diamondbacks and Mariners, he was anticipated to be an everyday on the Sox’ infield earlier than a sliding base-runner fractured his toe throughout a spring-training recreation.
After a protracted layoff, Rojas can now step into that function, and he expects to bounce across the infield and play second base, shortstop and third base, which is what he did throughout his latest rehab stint at Triple-A Charlotte. In fact, issues have modified on the Sox’ infield because the spring and early portion of the common season, and Chase Meidroth’s profitable arrival will proceed to equal ample enjoying time for the rookie.
Rojas was the Sox’ beginning third baseman Sunday, and the ball discovered him immediately: The primary pitch of the sport was hit to him for a floor out.
Relying on how he fares – his profession OPS-plus of 92 means he’s been eight % worse than the common hitter since 2019 – Rojas may very well be a stabilizing presence whereas high prospect Colson Montgomery tries to get his bat going within the minors.
“[Hopefully he can bring] vitality, somewhat bit extra vitality. Some expertise, too,” Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames stated Sunday. “He’s received extra at-bats than loads of our guys. Simply get him wholesome, and hopefully he can assist spark us somewhat bit.
“If the foot is ok, he’s going to be OK.”
As for that foot, Rojas stated he can nonetheless really feel some discomfort in his toe. However he feels he’s again to doing all the things he desires to do on the sphere.
“A variety of my recreation depends on being athletic,” Rojas stated. “If I used to be only a power-hitting third baseman, it is perhaps a unique story. However I’ve received to have the ability to run the bases full velocity. I’ve received to have the ability to make performs within the gap. I’ve received to have the ability to beat out infield singles. I’ve received to have the ability to do all of the little issues, and my recreation depends closely on with the ability to do these issues.
“My toe was not in a spot to have the ability to try this till a few week in the past. So when that time hit once I felt like I may go full velocity, I used to be prepared to come back again.”
Although these Sox weren’t precisely constructed to win, within the thick of a rebuild and with low expectations coming off their record-setting 121-loss season in 2024, Rojas’ return helps the roster look somewhat extra like what Chris Getz’s entrance workplace anticipated throughout the winter.
Nonetheless, accidents have befallen lots of the entrance workplace’s offseason additions, and earlier than Rojas’ return Sunday, the Sox discovered maybe their 4 greatest acquisitions of the winter on the injured checklist on the similar time: Rojas, left-handed starter Martin Perez and the deliberate right-field platoon of Mike Tauchman and Austin Slater.
None of these guys determine to imply a lot for the Sox within the huge image of their long-term rebuilding venture. However a strong efficiency or two may show the funding worthwhile if Getz can internet one thing for any of them on the commerce deadline, one thing that turns into considerably tougher when these gamers are all coping with accidents.
However it’s nonetheless early, with months to go till that deadline, and maybe Rojas will be that kind of asset come July.
Within the meantime, he figures to be a fixture on the infield, even when he’s enjoying a number of positions, a veteran presence that may assist out a younger group.
