If you thought the Chicago White Sox would just be happy to be back in October after years of misery, think again. Sure, this team is way ahead of schedule, and sure, the pitching staff might not look great on paper. But none of that mattered against the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card series, as the South Siders polished off an impressive sweep with a 7-3 win on Wednesday.
The White Sox have officially punched their ticket to the ALDS, meaning that a team that lost 102 games last season is now just two more series wins away from a pennant. Will they be favored to pull it off? Of course not. But that hasn't stopped this team before — and with an all-too-familiar opponent waiting for them in the next round, they won't be lacking for confidence.
Who will White Sox play in the ALDS? Chicago gets chance for AL Central revenge vs. Guardians
The White Sox will face the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, the same team that narrowly edged them out for the AL Central title in September. Thanks to winning that divisional race, Cleveland earned the No. 2 seed in the American League bracket and earned a bye straight to the Division Series. Chicago landed in their side of the bracket by virtue of earning the final Wild Card spot and the No. 6 seed.
The last time the White Sox saw the Guardians was back in mid-September, when Cleveland took a crucial two of three at Progressive Field in dramatic fashion. The Guardians boast a formidable pitching duo atop their rotation in Parker Messick and Gavin Williams, and they were able to scrounge up just enough offense to claim the Central once again.
But even though Cleveland has been sitting at home, resting and lining up its pitching plans all week, the White Sox have more than a puncher's chance in this best-of-five series. Chicago took the season series overall, seven games to six, and had a substantially better run differential overall. Now they'll get two days off of their own ahead of Game 1 on Saturday, and with the way this team is rolling right now, it's hard to bet against them.
When was the last time the White Sox reached the ALDS?
To say it's been a while for White Sox fans would be an understatement. Chicago has made the postseason just three times since winning the World Series in 2005, without a single series win in that span until this Wild Card sweep. The last time they reached the Division Series was back in 2021, when Tony La Russa led the Sox to a 93-69 record and an AL Central title.
That series didn't go so well; Chicago was bounced in four games by, ironically enough, the Astros. At the time, it felt like the beginning of something rather than the end, with a core featuring the likes of Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, Lucas Giolito and Tim Anderson. It's been a long and winding road back, but this White Sox team is hoping to author a different ending, with a foundation in place for many more postseason pushes to come.
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