For the second time in approximately a week, the White Sox have lost a player on waivers to the crosstown rival Cubs. Last week, former first-round pick Ryan Rolison headed across town after the White Sox attempted to pass him through waivers. This time, it’s infielder Ben Cowles, who the White Sox claimed from the Cubs originally back in September.
Cubs claim Ben Cowles off waivers from the White Sox. Sign RHP Corbin Martin to a contract. Cowles was with Cubs before having been traded to them for Mark Leiter Jr in 2024.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) January 15, 2026
Cowles, 25, was originally drafted by the Yankees in 2021 and spent parts of four seasons in their farm system before a deadline trade to the Cubs. Cowles posted solid-but-unspectacular offensive numbers throughout his Yankees tenure, but rarely played a full season due to frequent injuries. His 2025 season set his career-high with 128 games played, but it was also his worst season offensively. Notably, Cowles’ on-base percentage dipped from it’s normal .350-.370 mark to just .300, and his OPS dropped from .829 in 2024 to .671 in 2025.
The Cubs designated Cowles for assignment and the White Sox claimed him in September, where he posted a .565 OPS in 15 games with Triple-A Charlotte to finish the season. The White Sox recent waiver claim of C Drew Romo led to the team’s decision to designate Cowles for assignment, and he’ll now head back to the Cubs where he’ll serve as depth on their 40-man roster.
Cowles was unlikely to garner significant playing time with White Sox
Cowles’ road to significant playing time on the White Sox seemed long, so it’s unsurprising that he became one of the initial roster cuts when the team made a move. With Munetaka Murakami, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Lenyn Sosa, and Miguel Vargas all slated for significant playing time in the infield, it would’ve taken a myriad of injuries to get Cowles in the lineup. The White Sox were hopeful he’d clear waivers and they could stash him in Triple-A, but instead he’ll head to the north side.
The White Sox head into 2026 with a much more interesting roster than they had at the start of 2025, and more additions could be on the way. 2025 lineup members like Jake Amaya, Vinny Capra, and Will Robertson have been replaced by the likes of Colson Montgomery and Jarred Kelenic. The roster is far from competing for a World Series, but the ceiling has certainly been raised and White Sox fans should have something to keep an eye on in the team’s lineup from top to bottom.
The White Sox may lose a lot of games in 2026, but the team is trending upward and fans can feel confident that they’re heading in the right direction.