The White Sox being in the news for all the wrong reasons has been a more frequent occurrence than anyone would like in recent years. Chris Getz certainly hoped to put some of the organization’s checkered past behind him when he took over as the General Manager in 2023, and the team cites a 19-game improvement and the arrival of a wave of young talent as a reason for optimism entering 2026. But even with Opening Day approaching, it appears the off-field distractions aren’t over for the White Sox, and a longtime feud with franchise icon Frank Thomas is still alive and well this week.
Thomas, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall-of-Fame as a member of the White Sox in 2014, is reportedly suing the White Sox, among others, for selling jerseys with his name on them without his consent. Thomas is also including Nike and Fanatics, the distributors of MLB’s merchandise, and is alleging that he is not profiting and has not given permission for the merchandise sold with his name on it.
Frank Thomas and the White Sox organization have a long history of tension
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first incident of tension involving Thomas and the White Sox, but rather the continuation of a lengthy feud between the two sides. It’s not even the first lawsuit Thomas has filed against the team. The strained relationship between Thomas and the White Sox organization began back when he was still playing. He left the White Sox following the 2005 World Series championship, and then-GM Kenny Williams didn’t take kindly to how his time in Chicago came to an end.
“He’s an idiot. He’s selfish,” Williams said. “That’s why we don’t miss him. We don’t miss him, by the way. If you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members: we don’t miss him. We don’t miss his attitude. We don’t miss the whining”.
Harsh words about one of the greatest players in franchise history. I can certainly see why Thomas would have hard feelings about the organization. The next year, Thomas filed a lawsuit against the White Sox claiming the team incorrectly diagnosed one of his injuries and cleared him to return to play when he shouldn’t have been. The suit was eventually settled in 2011.
Things seemed to get better between the two sides, with the White Sox retiring his number in 2010 and Thomas appearing at the 10-year World Series reunion in 2015, but the tension has returned over the past few months. The White Sox posted a graphic celebrating Black History Month at the beginning of February, which only included a brief mention of Thomas instead of featuring him prominently. Thomas didn’t hide his feeling on this gesture
I Guess the black player who made you rich over there and holds all your records is forgettable! Don’t worry I’m taking Receipts!
— Frank Thomas (@TheBigHurt_35) February 1, 2026
Just a month later, the latest lawsuit has come to light, casting a shadow over a general feeling of optimism in White Sox circles. It’s a distraction that the White Sox certainly don’t need just a few days from Opening Day, but it’s a self-inflicted wound. Whether the White Sox are guilty of what Thomas is accusing them of is unclear, but the team has certainly not helped make peace in their relationship with Thomas. It’s just another example of the organizational stink that will hopefully be eliminated with a new front office and an impending ownership change.
Frank Thomas is the greatest player in White Sox history, and he deserves to be treated with respect for all the years of hard work and excellence he contributed to the organization. Hopefully the White Sox wake up and get to work on repairing their relationship instead of just fueling the fire.