The Chicago White Sox didn’t just make a signing this week.
They made a statement.
Chicago White Sox v Minnesota Twins | Stephen Maturen/GettyImages
After trading Luis Robert Jr. and freeing up payroll, the White Sox officially finalized their reported agreement with right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez — a move designed to stabilize the bullpen and signal that the organization is ready to stop merely rebuilding and start pushing forward.
But the real shock didn’t come from Domínguez’s name.
It came from the cost.
In a corresponding roster move, the White Sox designated infielder Bryan Ramos for assignment, a decision that could quietly end what once looked like a meaningful future in Chicago.
And that’s what makes this moment feel different: the White Sox aren’t just collecting talent anymore.
They’re choosing who survives.
Bryan Ramos was once supposed to be part of the plan
Ramos, who turns 24 in March, wasn’t a high-profile signing when he entered the organization. The White Sox signed him for just $300,000 in 2018 — a modest investment that quickly began to look like a steal.
He spent 2019 in the Arizona Complex League and, after the canceled 2020 minor league season, moved into affiliated ball in 2021.
The early numbers were solid but not spectacular, the kind of progression that doesn’t guarantee anything but keeps a player on the radar.
Then came 2022 — the year Ramos started to look real.
Between High-A and Double-A, he posted a .793 OPS and slugged 22 home runs. Power like that, especially from a young infielder, gets attention fast.
Another productive season in 2023 pushed him further into prospect relevance, and by the time 2024 arrived, Ramos was being discussed as one of the organization’s top young pieces.
For a team starving for homegrown upside, he looked like a potential answer.
But baseball is ruthless about momentum.
And Ramos’ momentum started slipping at the worst possible time.
The big league chance came… and it didn’t stick
Ramos made his MLB debut in 2024, but the opportunity didn’t turn into a breakthrough. In 32 games, he struggled to a .585 OPS — the kind of number that doesn’t just disappoint, it creates doubt.
The next season didn’t help.
In 2025, Ramos appeared in just four major league games, going 2-for-12 with two doubles and two RBIs.
It wasn’t enough time to rewrite the story, and paired with uninspiring minor league numbers and increased infield depth, it left him in the most dangerous category in baseball:
A fringe player without a clear role.
And once you fall into that category, the roster math becomes brutal.
Why the White Sox made this move now
Domínguez isn’t just a bullpen add — he’s a symbol of direction.
The White Sox have already added depth and options throughout the offseason, and bringing in an established reliever like Domínguez suggests they’re serious about turning close games into wins.
It’s a direct response to a 2025 season where the bullpen played a major role in the team losing the most one-run games in baseball.
But to make room on the 40-man roster, someone had to go.
And the White Sox chose Ramos.
It’s disappointing, but it’s not shocking. Ramos didn’t appear to have a path to regular at-bats in 2026, and the organization is clearly done carrying “maybe” players while trying to take a step forward.
Is this really the end for Ramos in Chicago?
Not necessarily.
Being designated for assignment doesn’t automatically mean Ramos is gone. He’ll now hit waivers, where any of the other 29 teams can claim him and add him to their own 40-man roster.
And while Ramos’ recent performance hasn’t been inspiring, a 24-year-old infielder with power potential is the kind of player that can still tempt teams — especially rebuilding clubs looking for upside, or contenders looking for depth they can stash and develop.
If he clears waivers, the White Sox can outright him to the minors, keeping him in the organization while removing him from the 40-man roster.
But even that outcome comes with a message: the margin for error is shrinking.
The cold truth: this is what “getting better” looks like
For years, White Sox fans have begged for a real rebuild — one with structure, depth, and long-term planning.
This is the part of that process nobody enjoys.
The part where once-promising names get squeezed out because the organization can’t afford to keep waiting. The part where “potential” stops being enough. The part where roster spots become valuable again.
In a strange way, Ramos’ DFA is a compliment to what Chris Getz and Mike Shirley have been building. It suggests the system is healthier, deeper, and more competitive than it was before.
It suggests the White Sox are turning the corner from rebuilding… to building.
Still, for fans who remember the hype around Ramos, it’s hard not to feel the weight of it.
A player who once looked like a piece of the future is now fighting just to stay in the picture.
And as the White Sox head toward spring training in Arizona, one question hangs in the air:
If this is how quickly the Sox moved on from Bryan Ramos… who’s next when the real pressure starts? ⚡
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