White Sox Push Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa To Take Another Step After Progress In 2025

While the White Sox are pleased with the strides Sosa has made at the plate, they acknowledge he has work to do defensively. Sosa has versatility in that he can play second base, third base and first base, and he even played five games at shortstop in 2022.

But he leads the American League with 10 errors committed as a second baseman this season and has faltered in certain situations with runners on base. That has led to the White Sox playing him as a first baseman or designated hitter in 14 of the last 17 games.

Getz wants Sosa to maintain that versatility and be able to play elsewhere besides first base or designated hitter, and said they've had those conversations going into the offseason.

"There's just a lot of situations that I think are really complex, and I think some guys are instinctually able to work through some of those," manager Will Venable said on Aug. 30. "I think we've seen Lenyn in some of these spots where he's still a young player very much growing and learning some of these situations."

Vargas bounces back

Vargas headlined the White Sox return when they traded Michael Kopech, Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham in a three-team deal with the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers in July 2024. Early returns were discouraging, as Vargas hit .104 with a .387 OPS in 42 games with the White Sox last season.

But an adjustment Vargas made in April –– raising his hands in his batting stance in order to cover the upper half of the zone more effectively –– led to a prolonged burst. In 53 games from April 23 to June 22, Vargas slashed .284/.357/.533 with 10 home runs, 28 RBIs and a 145 wRC+.

After missing some time due to oblique and hand injuries, Vargas returned and homered during Friday's 4-3 win over the Padres. Like Sosa, the White Sox are intrigued by Vargas' progress but believe there's more in the tank.

"It’s good to have him back in the lineup, and the way he’s played a solid third base and a first base. He’s had some real stretches of helping our offense," Getz said. "I think there’s another step forward that he can make and he’s got the makeup to attack it in the right way to help his own game, to help our team."