The World Series will be played at Wrigley Field on Friday for the first time since 1945. And if recent games there are any indication, the stands will be dotted with some of the most celebrated living players in Chicago Cubs history. That is, with one notable exception.

Sammy Sosa, the iconic slugger who was the face of the franchise during the late 1990s and early 2000s, will be in his customary position: out of sight and out of mind.

This...