Chicago’s front office is cornered by a tough call on Lenyn Sosa that could shape the franchise’s direction this offseason. DD

The White Sox team leader in hits and home runs may find himself out of a job this year because of the obvious areas for improvement in his game.

One of the unexpected developments of the White Sox 2025 season was the emergence of infielder Lenyn Sosa. Sosa, the longest-tenured member of the White Sox, got a full season of regular at bats for the first time in his career. Sosa led the White Sox with 137 hits and 22 home runs during the 2025 season. As fun as his breakout was, there remains a lot to be desired in Sosa’s game, and a crowded infield picture for the White Sox potentially leaves him without a clear path to playing time. The White Sox now face an impossible decision: find at bats for Sosa and hope he takes another step forward, or ship him elsewhere and hope he doesn’t. 

Let’s start with the things Sosa does well. With a .264 average and 22 home runs, Sosa showed a genuinely good hitting ability. His average exit velocity of 90.7 mph and barrel percentage of 10.4% were both solid. Sosa was surprisingly good at making contact, with a whiff rate of only 23.5% despite a 40% chase rate.

When Sosa got pitches to hit, he was taking advantage of them, but his game had some obvious flaws as well. Sosa walked just 18 times all season. To put things in perspective, Miguel Vargas played in two less games than Sosa in 2025 and he walked 56 times. Sosa hit .264 for the season and somehow managed to keep his on base percentage under .300, at .293. According to Thomas Nestico, Sosa’s -2.13 Win Probability Added was the worst mark on the White Sox. On defense, Sosa has yet to really find a home. He rose through the minor leagues as a shortstop, but he doesn’t have the arm strength for the left side of the infield. Chase Meidroth was a much stronger defender at second base, leaving Sosa largely without a position. The White Sox tried him at first base but he looked uncomfortable, and the team isn’t likely to consider him the long-term option there. 

Lenyn Sosa may not have a path to at bats on the 2026 team

With much of the infield locked in for 2026, Sosa’s role is a bit unclear. The White Sox have been rumored in the first base market, meaning Miguel Vargas will likely slot in at third. The designated hitter spot is a possibility, but with both Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel needing at bats and the status of Andrew Benintendi in question, there may not be a clear path to at bats for Sosa there either. The easiest solution may be a trade, but how much value does Sosa really have? 

Right-handed hitters with no defensive position who don’t get on base at a high rate aren’t particularly valuable, so Sosa may not bring back much of a return. He’s still just 26 years-old and under team control through 2029, so a team may be interested in his control and upside, but it’s hard to gauge what a potential return could look like. Perhaps a team like the Giants, who have no clear answer at the second base position and desperately need more power against lefties, would take a chance on Sosa and give the White Sox a young pitcher in return. 

Whether Lenyn Sosa is on the 2026 White Sox roster or not remains to be seen. His role, if on the team, is also yet to be determined. The White Sox are building their team for the future and need to put themselves in the best position they can to win, and they could elect to go with a more well-rounded option. Whatever the case, it’ll be a development to watch as the offseason progresses and the calendar flips to 2026.