“It’s not ideal, but it’s the game, man. And it’s not always the guys who are the most deserving or have played the best; it’s roster construction.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Travis Jankowski opted out of Cubs camp when he was left off the travel roster for Japan and hooked up with the White Sox right away, having played under Will Venable when the Sox manager was on Bruce Bochy’s staff in Texas. He appreciated general manager Chris Getz’s openness about the Sox’ outfield picture that already included major-league contracts attached to five players.

With Opening Day drawing near, Jankow-ski waits, like so many others in Sox camp and camps everywhere, to know where he’ll be March 27, when the Sox host the Angels at Rate Field. There is uncertainty with Andrew Benintendi (hand) and Austin Slater (oblique) coming back from injuries. Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman and Michael A. Taylor also have major-league contracts.

“I’m just trying to prove I deserve a roster spot,” Jankowski said. “I haven’t been told anything.”

Jankowski led off and went 2-for-2 with two singles, a walk and a run in the Sox’ loss to the Mariners on Saturday. A .236/.319/.305 hitter over 10 seasons, he’s 6-for-25 with seven walks this spring.

With Texas in 2023, Jankowski found out the night before Opening Day that he was on the roster because Leody Taveras needed another week or so to get over an oblique strain.

Jankowski, 33, waits again. He signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training and has an opt-out, so if he doesn’t make the Sox’ roster, he could land with another team. When the Cubs’ front office called him in to say he wouldn’t be on the travel team to Japan, Jankowski knew he wanted out.

“I said, ‘Where I’m at in my career, I don’t need to wither away in Triple-A and watch you guys go win,’ ’’ he said. “I need to be part of something in the big leagues. They said they wouldn’t hold me hostage if there was a better opportunity. I was on the phone with Will pretty quick after that. It’s not ideal, but it’s the game, man. And it’s not always the guys who are the most deserving or have played the best; it’s roster construction.”

Notes

Slater and Benintendi were off Saturday but could play the next two days.

“We’ll try to get them as many innings as we can safely,” Venable said.

† Right-hander Penn Murfee (0.00 spring ERA) hasn’t pitched in a game since Wednesday because of ankle soreness.

“Nothing crazy at all,’’ Venable said. ‘‘I wouldn’t even say precautionary, just wanted to give him a couple of days to get right. We’ll see him here in a couple of outings or at least one outing before we get out of here.”

† Josh Rojas, who has a hairline fracture in his right big toe, participated in baseball activities Friday but is still sore.

† Venable again declined to say how the rest of the rotation lines up after Opening Day starter Sean Burke.

Mariners 14, Sox 1;

Rockies 10, Sox 4

A showcase of the White Sox’ prized left-handed pitching prospects, who started split-squad games, fell flat. Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith both walked five batters in Sox defeats. Schultz got five outs, allowed three runs (two earned) and one hit against the Rockies in Scottsdale. Smith got seven outs and gave up six runs (five earned) and three hits. Smith struck out one, Schultz three. The Sox fell to 10-18-1.

• Smith, who threw only 28 strikes in 56 pitches, said his mechanics in his lower half were out of whack. “Something was kind of off,” he said. “Missing with my fastball.”

• Gus Varland gave up homers to Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena in a four-run inning, and Steven Wilson saw his streak of 15 scoreless innings over the last two springs end in a two-run, four-hit inning.

• Retiring Sox beat writer Daryl Van Schouwen threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

• On deck: Diamondbacks at Sox, 3:05 p.m. Sunday, Glendale, CHSN, 1000-AM, Ryne Nelson vs. Brandon Eisert. Jonathan Cannon will pitch in a minor-league game.