White Sox non-tender Sheets, De Los Santos at deadline

CHICAGO -- The White Sox declined to tender 2025 contracts to infielder/outfielder Gavin Sheets and right-handed pitcher Enyel De Los Santos, decreasing their 40-man roster to 37.

Sheets, 28, was the organization’s second-round selection in the 2017 Draft, following his friend Jake Burger, who was taken in the first round of that Draft. Now, neither individual is part of the White Sox, with Burger hitting home runs for the Marlins.

Although he was drafted as a first baseman from Wake Forest, Sheets also worked hard to make himself a serviceable left-handed hitting option in right field. He launched 11 home runs with 34 RBIs and an .830 OPS over 179 plate appearances during his rookie campaign of 2021, knocking out a homer and a double in a four-game playoff loss to the Astros, and hit a career-high 15 homers in ‘22.

But with Sheets being arbitration eligible and the White Sox apparently cutting payroll for the 2025 season, they moved on from the Baltimore native. Sheets was a strong force in the clubhouse and a go-to interview, especially during the team’s 222 losses amassed over the past two years and their single-season total of 121 in ‘24 to set a Modern Era record (since 1901).

“There’s still a lot of talent in this room. There’s a lot of pieces,” said Sheets near the end of this past campaign. “Everybody needs to take a step forward. I don’t think anybody has had a season they are completely content with. I would imagine everybody in here needs to step forward and bring a new attitude to the ballpark next year and a lot of learning to the ballpark.

“This is a young team and [with] a lot of guys that hopefully take a step forward. And older guys. Hopefully I take a step forward, [Andrew Benintendi], [Luis] Robert, [Andrew Vaughn], all of us didn’t have the years we wanted to have, and hopefully next year we come back and be a big piece to this.”

After slashing .233/.303/.357 with 24 doubles, 10 homers, 45 RBIs and 35 runs scored in 139 games during the 2024 campaign, it doesn’t appear as if that turnaround for Sheets will come with Chicago.

De Los Santos, 28, appeared in 15 games with the White Sox in 2024 after being claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Aug. 17, recording a 3.63 ERA with nine walks, 13 strikeouts and one hold in 17 1/3 innings. All remaining unsigned players on Chicago's 40-man roster have been tendered contracts for the 2025 season.

Vaughn, who is arbitration-eligible along with All-Star Garrett Crochet and right-handed relievers Justin Anderson and Steven Wilson, is among those tendered. The first baseman remains an integral part within the White Sox offense, although he had an uneven 2024 season, posting a slash line of .246/.297/.402 with 19 homers, 30 doubles and 70 RBIs.

Over four full seasons with the White Sox, the 26-year-old has 72 homers, 110 doubles, 274 RBIs and a .725 OPS. There were teams interested in Vaughn at the 2024 Trade Deadline, but the White Sox presently are hoping for a big season from him in the middle of their batting order.