Frustration is boiling on Chicago’s South Side. The White Sox are struggling badly, and fans are blaming the front office. Recent roster choices only fueled the fire while the big-league club desperately needs offense, a power-hitting prospect tears up Triple-A. But an odd series of transactions left many fans scratching their heads and asking whether the club’s direction under the general manager, Chris Getz, really makes any sense.

The 2025 season has been a tough one so far for the White Sox. Coming into May 5th, they were a pathetic 9–24. That’s good enough for dead last in the AL Central. Their offense is among the worst in baseball. The team’s average at the plate ranks just .215 (29th in MLB). Their slugging percentage is even worse at .329 (30th). Scoring runs is a major issue, ranking 28th with only 119 runs scored. Key players like Luis Robert Jr. (.182 AVG) and Andrew Vaughn (.174 AVG) struggle significantly at the plate.

With that backdrop, the Sox made six roster moves before the series finale with Houston. Infielder Josh Rojas returned from the IL. The moves do include first baseman Bobby Dalbec being designated for assignment (DFA). This opened a spot on the 40-men roster. Fans hoped this cleared the way for Triple-A star Tim Elko. Instead, the White Sox selected pitcher Caleb Freeman and recalled pitcher Tyler Gilbert. Ignoring the red-hot 26-year-old Elko while adding bullpen arms ignited immediate fan backlash.

The front office often cites player development readiness for promotion timing. GM Chris Getz stresses the importance of pushing players when they are “well-positioned” and “developmentally ready,” needing an “opportunity.” But Elko seems to check those boxes. He dominated Triple-A pitching in April, hitting over .360 with a .700+ slugging percentage and 9-10 home runs. He was named the Minor League Player of the Month. The 26-year-old also displayed better plate discipline. What specific criteria has he not reached when the big-league team  desperately needs his power?

Fan frustration over Elko snub fuels questions and anger

This decision seemed inexplicable, considering the circumstances. This sequence struck many fans as illogical. It fueled the perception that factors other than immediate need or performance were driving the decision-making, leading directly to widespread fan anger. Some fans felt the decision went beyond simple baseball strategy, hinting at deeper organizational biases.

One feeling summed this up perfectly: “WHY DOES THIS ORGANIZATION HATE TIMOTHY JOHN ELKO”. It speaks volumes about what people think about the 26-year-old slugger. He wasn’t a high draft pick; his signing bonus was a modest $35,000. Compare that to Andrew Vaughn, the struggling first baseman, a former No. 3 overall pick, earning nearly $6 million this year. So, every time the team tries to define with vague terms like “developmentally ready,” despite Elko’s dominance, it leaves fans wondering if the lower investment isn’t making him the expendable one, regardless of performance.

The raw data on Elko’s season is so compelling that many fans find it difficult to understand why he’s still in Triple-A. One fan feels it deserves closer attention: “elko not being called up deserves an investigation”. You can see their point. Elko absolutely smashed minor league pitching in April, posting a .360 with an OPS above 1.150. At one point, he led all minor leaguers with 9-10 homers. For a team ranked 30th in slugging, ignoring that kind of production seems almost unbelievable.

Naturally, the focus on Elko intensifies the scrutiny on the player currently playing first base for the Sox. As one fan said, “DFA Vaughn he’s a bust it’s time”. The numbers fuel this frustration. Vaughn is hitting a meager .174 with an OPS just over .476. His WAR sits deeply in the negative (-1.0 to -1.2), suggesting he’s playing even worse than a replacement-level player.

The Elko snub also raises questions at other positions and makes many fans wonder why some players stay while others wait. Infielder Jacob Amaya became a focal point for this confusion. “Dude theres actually no way that Amaya is still on the team”. Looking at the stats, it’s not an unfair question. In 53 at-bats in 2025, Amaya is .094. He has zero home runs and only six RBIs. Watching Amaya get playing time while Elko dominates in Charlotte adds another layer to the perceived illogical roster management.

Amidst the widespread frustration over the roster moves, particularly leaving Elko in Charlotte, fans searched for any positive takeaway. As one fan wryly put it: “At least Penn murfee’s gone. The rest of this absolutely SUCKS. But at least Penn Murfee is gone.” The pitching from Penn Murfee in 2025 was indeed rough; he posted a huge 7.82 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP across 12.2 innings. Sending him down felt like addressing at least one clear underperformer.

What move do the White Sox need to make next to regain fan trust? Will Tim Elko ever get his chance on the South Side this season?