If you compared the current state of the White Sox roster to what it looked like at this time last year, you’d see a significant difference. The White Sox, coming off a disastrous 2024 season, had a roster full of fringe-prospects and veteran journeymen hanging on to a big league career by a thread. A 2025 season that saw prospect breakouts and a second half of respectable baseball has changed things completely. In Munetaka Murakami, Anthony Kay, and Sean Newcomb, the White Sox have made a few meaningful acquisitions this offseason and began to trim the fat on the roster. However, not all the players still on the roster are a good fit for the future of the team, and the White Sox would be wise to find a way to move them. Here are two such players.
OF Andrew Benintendi
The owner of the largest free-agent contract in White Sox history, Benintendi has been an overall disappointment in his first three years in Chicago. Benintendi, who won a Gold Glove in 2021 and made an all-star team in 2022, was expected to bring good defense and solid contact ability with occasional power to a team needing stability in the outfield. Instead, Benintendi’s defense has cratered, and he’s been little more than an average hitter the past two years. Frequent injuries may be to blame for the defensive woes, and Benintendi has posted back-to-back 20-homer seasons despite taking a step back in the on-base department, but the White Sox are left in a difficult situation regarding his future. Owed $17.5 million in 2026 and under control for 2027, the team would love to free up the payroll to use in other areas but have yet to find another team willing to invest in an aging, inconsistent outfielder.
The White Sox could consider taking on a bad contract at another position in order to move Benintendi: perhaps a veteran starter that can eat innings. Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez comes to mind, who is owed $40 million over the next two seasons and has struggled in a hitter-friendly environment in the desert. It’s unclear whether the Diamondbacks would be open to a swap of this nature, but from the White Sox perspective, it would open up an outfield spot and provide flexibility for the DH role while addressing a need for additional innings with an intriguing bounce-back candidate. Regardless, finding a taker for Benintendi before the season begins would be the ideal strategy.
IF Lenyn Sosa
It’s a bit odd to be listing the White Sox reigning leading in home runs on a list of players that they need to move, but his fit on the roster is murky at best. The White Sox signing of Munetaka Murakami just about solidifies their infield, with Sosa likely the odd-man out. Sosa’s strengths include his ability to make contact with pitcher’s pitches, and some power. But his game includes glaring weaknesses as well. Sosa walked just 18 times all season in 2025, a total equalling less than his 22 home runs. Finishing a season with less walks than home runs is downright impressive, but it’s an alarming trend. Pitchers can easily get Sosa out more by throwing him less strikes. On defense, Sosa doesn’t really have a home position. He moved through the minor leagues as a shortstop, but pretty quickly moved over to second base upon making the majors. His defensive metrics at second base have been poor, and the White Sox brought Chase Meidroth to the big leagues in 2025, who has much stronger on-base ability and plays better defense than Sosa.
You come at Lenyn Sosa, you better not miss pic.twitter.com/YqxTWHZdfC
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 19, 2025
Sosa attempted a move to first base in 2025, but struggled defensively there as well, leading to questions about his future position. He’ll be just 26 years-old at the start of the season, so there’s time for him to grow in both aspects of the game, but his path to regular playing time in 2026 is unclear, and the White Sox could look to trade him. It’s hard to gauge the trade value for Sosa, but a team in need of an offensive-minded infielder may be inclined to make a swap.
The White Sox still have work to do with their roster before Spring Training begins in a little over five weeks. We’ll see if Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa are among the players heading to Camelback Ranch in February.