MustangWally
- Mayfield
Up 3 in the loss column and 2 in the win column.
Chicago White Sox 2026
FlyNavy
- Los Angeles
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
Because there’s no game 163, really the Sox just have to win 1 game in Cleveland. They clinch the tie-breaker on season series then.
So with 19 to go; if you just don’t get swept there, with 16 “other” games you’d still be up 3 in the loss column to win the division vs today. A lot of weird stuff happens in late September but really they just gotta play 500 baseball against bad teams the rest of the way.
FlyNavy
- Los Angeles
So based on the tiebreaker info, I would think the magic number would drop by 3 of the Sox win one against the Guardians (one for the win, one for the CLE loss, and one for guaranteeing the tiebreaker).
Either way, the Sox had a day off but the Orioles beat the Guardians 6-4 so the number falls to 16. That number is long retired, belonging to pitcher Ted Lyons:
Either way, the Sox had a day off but the Orioles beat the Guardians 6-4 so the number falls to 16. That number is long retired, belonging to pitcher Ted Lyons:
MustangWally
- Mayfield
I'm being haunted by memories of 1967.
They are trying to give it away, brutal stretch.
This is a fun team. We’ve seen that. In some ways more fun than the '67 Sox (the current Sox have way better home-run hitters than back then). But this is an incomplete team that is missing key pieces from being one of the very top contenders.
We see the lack of depth of quality starting pitchers that has been the case since the start of the season. We see the offense depending too much on the long ball and not being able to consistently generate runs through smaller-ball. And the Sox could use way more speed on the basepaths and put pressure on defenses by doing lots of running like famous Sox teams of old used to do. We need a few Aparicio's on the bases.
The Sox are not choking. They are simply playing to the level of what they consist of right now. I’m sure Management has been taking notes all season and is well aware of what needs to be done.
The Sox may right the ship or they may continue to slide. But truth be told... they have already exceeded everyone’s expectations for the season if they didn’t win another game.
They want more. We want more. They’ll be trying and we’ll be watching. And whether it is this season or the next... good things are going to happen.
In the meantime... move that rail yard to Bridgeport so the Sox can have the site across from The 78. If that doesn’t work out... it’s time to look at Northwest Indiana for your future Sox ball yard in an area that isn’t afraid of a few trains being around. 'Cause the Sox are not staying on 35th no matter what.
The Sox are in an AWFUL division in an unprecedentedly bad year for the American League. It's a young positional group with a far below average group of starters. Generally, over 162, everything balances out. It's just an agonizing time for it to it to happen.
Their management was really smart to not do anything stupid at the trade deadline. They realize that this is just one of those unicorn years where average could potentially work out. In the long run, it won't.
Outside of the Cleveland series, which is going to bring more pressure than difficulty of schedule, I don't think they play anyone that is near .500. Getting swept by Pittsburgh doesn't instill a lot of confidence, but the fact is that Cleveland is bad enough to not take advantage.
Nobody should be getting flustered with this team. If they were in the national league, their season would already be over. Just enjoy the scenario and take it off what it is.
Roundball is right. It's an average team in a far below average AL Central and a legendarily below average American League.
They are benefitting from a wild set of circumstances. In only 2 divisions out of 6 would their season still be alive.
The GM is doing absolutely the right thing by standing pat and taking notes. He gets the situation and that's what to be most grateful for.
I wouldn't get down on that team. They're now definitely taking water, but they're in a division that I don't think can take advantage. This has gone on all year.
FlyNavy
- Los Angeles
Hagen Smith got his first "start" as an opener for Fedde last night, pitching two scoreless innings. Here are his numbers since getting called up:
3-1 W-L, 11 G, 18 IP, 1 ER, 26 K, 10 BB, 0.50 ERA
Kid has a bright future, he should factor into the rotation next year (if not sooner).
I’ve always been higher on Smith than I have been on Schultz Since the start of 2025 season across AA, AAA and now the majors — in all 152 innings — Smith’s BA against is under .200. Included in there are his 18 innings at the MLB level where batters are hitting just .117. Control has always been his issue and he does have a 4 walk and. 3 walk outings with Sox, but pretty clean otherwise. Schultz has good potential too, but has to get a handle on his walks. In half of his 14 starts, he has had 3 or more walks.
Getting back to that 1967 Sox team... they were similar to this year’s Sox in that they were a good but not fully complete team.
In 1967, Sox pitching was not a problem. For years, Sox pitching had been top-rate. Good starters and relievers all around for years. That team prided itself on that as well as good team speed and good defense. That’s how they had to win games because THEY COULD NOT HIT. They had to try to win every game 2-1 or 3-2. If that team had any kind of decent offense the Sox would have won the Pennant that year. Every game had to be pitcher’s duel because the Sox offense was so needy.
And even with that they almost pulled it off if not for that horrible collapse at the end. You just can’t win in this Game without the balance among all facets of the game. That’s what the ‘67 Sox showed and that’s what the 2026 Sox are showing.
But it’s still much better to win more than lose which both these Sox teams were/are doing. The Sox lost some really good starting pitchers in the past few years (go back to Chris Sale and thereafter) and they have yet to replace them.
In 1967, Sox pitching was not a problem. For years, Sox pitching had been top-rate. Good starters and relievers all around for years. That team prided itself on that as well as good team speed and good defense. That’s how they had to win games because THEY COULD NOT HIT. They had to try to win every game 2-1 or 3-2. If that team had any kind of decent offense the Sox would have won the Pennant that year. Every game had to be pitcher’s duel because the Sox offense was so needy.
And even with that they almost pulled it off if not for that horrible collapse at the end. You just can’t win in this Game without the balance among all facets of the game. That’s what the ‘67 Sox showed and that’s what the 2026 Sox are showing.
But it’s still much better to win more than lose which both these Sox teams were/are doing. The Sox lost some really good starting pitchers in the past few years (go back to Chris Sale and thereafter) and they have yet to replace them.
GO SOX ! !