Gavin Sheets experienced some of the highs — such as hitting a home run in the 2021 American League Division Series — and lows — the 121-loss season in 2024 — during his four seasons with the Chicago White Sox.
The Sox on Friday declined to tender contracts to Sheets and reliever Enyel De Los Santos, the team announced.
Sheets slashed .230/.295/.385 with 61 doubles, 46 home runs and 175 RBIs in 435 games while largely seeing time in right field, first base and at designated hitter with the Sox. He hit at least 10 home runs each season, including a career-best 15 in 2022.
Sheets had a .233/.303/.357 slash line in 2024 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. He ranked second on the team with 24 doubles and third with 105 hits.
He performed well in the 2021 ALDS against the Houston Astros, going 4-for-12 (.333) with two runs, the home run and one RBI in three games. The Sox lost the best-of-five series in four games.
“The crowd, the blackout, the support, that burns a fire,” Sheets said after the Game 4 defeat. “That makes you want to do it again — with a different outcome.”
Instead the Sox slid the other direction, including back-to-back 100-loss seasons in 2023 (101) and 2024 (121).
Sheets gave an honest reflection shortly after the Sox set the modern-era record for losses in a season on Sept. 27 in Detroit, saying, “All of a sudden on the last out, you realize you’re part of the wrong side of history. It was a little more frustrating and it hurt a little bit more than I expected it to.”
De Los Santos had a 3.63 ERA with nine walks, 13 strikeouts and one hold in 15 appearances with the Sox in 2024 after being claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees on Aug. 17. He pitched for the San Diego Padres, Yankees and Sox in 2024.
According to the Sox, all remaining unsigned players on the 40-man roster have been tendered contracts for the 2025 season.
With Friday’s moves, the Sox 40-man roster is at 37.
