Despite big power numbers in 2025, Lenyn Sosa’s impact actually hurt the White Sox more than it helped — and that reality should reshape his role in 2026.
It’s not often that a team’s offensive leader also turns out to be a detriment to its overall success. But that was the reality for the Chicago White Sox in 2025.
On the surface, Lenyn Sosa looked like a breakout story. His counting stats — hits, home runs, RBIs — flipped doubters into believers and won over plenty of fans. But the underlying metrics revealed what detail-oriented White Sox fans already suspected:
Lenyn Sosa was the most overrated player on the roster in 2025, and he shouldn’t have an everyday role in 2026.
Now, “overrated” can be subjective. But the numbers aren’t.
According to Win Probability Added (WPA) data from FanGraphs, no player cost the 2025 White Sox more wins than Sosa. His -2.13 WPA wasn’t just the worst on the team — it was worse than the lowest-rated player on 15 other MLB clubs, including Vinny Capra of the Brewers and Nolan Jones, who hit .211 with five home runs for Cleveland.
Context matters. WPA is a cumulative stat, just like WAR. To lead a team — positively or negatively — you need significant playing time. But the point stands: Sosa did not help the White Sox win baseball games, and treating him like a core everyday starter in 2026 would be a mistake.
Sosa’s approach at the plate continues to be a problem. Across 1,068 career MLB at-bats, he has just 36 walks. In 2025, despite leading the White Sox in home runs (22), RBIs (75), and hits (137), he walked only 18 times. That lack of plate discipline makes him an empty-calorie hitter — decent numbers, low value.
Defensively, there’s no clear home for him. His glove grades poorly at every position he plays, and his baserunning and situational awareness have been issues throughout his career.
Chris Getz may have a tough time finding a trade partner willing to surrender real value for Sosa this winter. If that’s the case, keeping him on the 26-man roster is fine — as long as the role matches the reality. He should be a bench piece, a fill-in when a middle infielder needs rest or as a pinch-hit option against lefties when the Sox need a jolt of power.
Pretending he’s anything more than that, at this stage of his career, would be wishful thinking.
Yes, White Sox fans fell in love with the power surge in 2025. It was easy to root for a player who looked like he’d finally turned a corner and led the team in homers for much of the season.
But it’s time to be honest about what 2025 really was: a season of stat-padding that didn’t translate into wins.
And the White Sox can’t afford to confuse highlights with value ever again.