Chicago White Sox 2026

#401      
Roundball Sage
Second place is 1st loser said:
Tonight was a huge gut punch.
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Losing is always a gut punch. And losing in a pennant race when you have been leading your division most of the season is the biggest kind of gut punch. But the Sox have no one to blame but themselves. They have this thing right in front of them and it has been right there for them to take.

They may yet win the division or get into the playoffs. Whatever happens, this season is a major learning experience for this young club that has never been a pennant race before. The Sox have reignited the fan base which hasn't had much to cheer about for years.

Getting into the playoffs would be a big deal though because it would give this club a taste of what that is like and this would be something great to build on for the future. For players its more than just getting into The Show and making real good money. It's trying to be one of the best clubs. These young Sox have accomplished two of these things. Now it's time for that last one.

This season has been too much fun just to see some kind of sour ending.
 
#402      
WolfpackIllini
AARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

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#403      
FlyNavy
Sox win! Great crowd out there to support (at least from what I could tell on TV), need to treat every game like a playoff game!
 
#405      
FlyNavy
Magic number is 6 for the wild card berth, with the added advantage that the AL West leader is still one game below the Sox. So two of the Astros/Rangers/Blue Jays would have to pass the Sox. Ideally we beat out Cleveland and get the bye, but we are still in control of our own destiny for the playoffs.
 
#406      
FlyNavy
Big win today to take 3 of 4. Magic number is 7, still a game behind the Guardians who swept the A's.

With the chaos in the AL West, the postseason magic number is now 4. Sox hold a three game lead over the Blue Jays and Astros with six to play.
 
#408      
illini55
WolfpackIllini said:
Sox end the season with 3 at KC followed by 3 vs the Rockies at Comiskey
Cleveland ends with3 at Boston and 3 at KC
I like our chances to make up a game or two!
GO SOX !!
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The real question is whether the Red Sox will rest all their good players and pitchers to prepare for the postseason. Those last three games they have with Cleveland are going to be crucial to our Sox winning the division.
 
#409      
Illinicpa14
illini55 said:
The real question is whether the Red Sox will rest all their good players and pitchers to prepare for the postseason. Those last three games they have with Cleveland are going to be crucial to our Sox winning the division.
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Most guys need live ABs to stay locked and they had an off day today and injury risk for position guys is low. Often as well guys have incentives they are trying to trigger in the contract. They want to play their best baseball entering the playoffs.

I think the closest to resting is their starting pitchers likely aren’t going to throw 95-110 pitches (but now that barely happens anyway) and you probably won’t see bullpen guys getting taxed of throwing consecutive hard days or 3 in a row (whereas as an example Gaddis for Cleveland throws almost every game right now).
 
#410      
FlyNavy
illini55 said:
The real question is whether the Red Sox will rest all their good players and pitchers to prepare for the postseason. Those last three games they have with Cleveland are going to be crucial to our Sox winning the division.
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Red Sox are only 4 games up on the White Sox, and face the Guardians and Cubs for the final stretch. They could still fall to the sixth seed - probably would prefer it.
 
#411      
Illini2010-11
FlyNavy said:
Red Sox are only 4 games up on the White Sox, and face the Guardians and Cubs for the final stretch. They could still fall to the sixth seed - probably would prefer it.
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Sure from the Wild Card round standpoint, but they would much rather face the AL Central Champ in the Divisional round than face the Rays.

Similarly, while extremely unlikely, it is still theoretically possible to host the ALCS if they are the fifth seed.

The Red Sox also are not eliminated from becoming the top wild card team, albeit very unlikely to pass Yankees even if winning out.

Nonetheless, I expect the Red Sox to play this weekend like it is prep for the Wild Card round, and attempt to win these ballgames.

From the White Sox standpoint, the goal has to be winning every game, but I think five wins gets the job done for winning the division. Cleveland will likely go either 3-3 or 4-2 this week.
 
#412      
Grandpa
Illini2010-11 said:
Sure from the Wild Card round standpoint, but they would much rather face the AL Central Champ in the Divisional round than face the Rays.

Similarly, while extremely unlikely, it is still theoretically possible to host the ALCS if they are the fifth seed.

The Red Sox also are not eliminated from becoming the top wild card team, albeit very unlikely to pass Yankees even if winning out.

Nonetheless, I expect the Red Sox to play this weekend like it is prep for the Wild Card round, and attempt to win these ballgames.

From the White Sox standpoint, the goal has to be winning every game, but I think five wins gets the job done for winning the division. Cleveland will likely go either 3-3 or 4-2 this week.
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I predict more like 0-6. 1-5 if they are lucky
 
#414      
Illinicpa14
MustangWally said:
Well, we are now at the 1967 stage of the season. Can't wait to see how it plays out. I'd like to wipe that memory away.
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Hope the bullpen enjoyed the extra day off; Taylor, Hudson, and newcomb in particular now have had a few extra days off for one more push
 
#415      
Illini2010-11
Entering play tonight, the magic number for the White Sox to clinch at least a Wild Card berth is 4. To win the AL Central the number stands at 7 with six games to play (so do not control destiny). This means that the White Sox could theoretically clinch a playoff berth by tomorrow night if they win both games and Houston loses both. Similarly the Sox could clinch the division on Friday night if the Sox continue to win and Cleveland stumbles in Boston.

I have to give the team a ton of credit in the way they battled back on Saturday and Sunday. Many teams would fold after the way they blew up on Friday night. This is a testament to the culture that is being built with this young team.

So exciting to have a meaningful week of baseball at the end of September again!
 
#416      
Illinell
I've stayed off the board lately as it's just been too damned frustrating. After the last series against Detroit it feels like we have a bit of swagger back, but the previous series with Pitt, StL, and Cle were just soooo damn painful. I'm feeling better about it all.

LFG Sox!!!
 
#417      
WolfpackIllini
SOX WIN !! SOX WIN !! SOX WIN !!
14-11 in 1st game at KC
YIKES: Sox had a 14-4 lead in thru 7 and gave up 3 in the 8th and a grand slam in the 9th to hold on to the win.
Kudos to KC for not giving up!
Cleveland beat Boston in the 9th
Sox still 1 game back with 5 to go.
 
#419      
Roundball Sage
MustangWally said:
Will Venable - Manager of the Year?
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Last season, the White Sox won 60 games. This season the Sox have already won 81. There will be an over-21 game improvement for the Sox in a single season.

Last season, Cleveland won 88 games. This season they are at 82. They will not match their 2025 win total.

So Cleveland has basically stayed the same... and the White Sox have exploded to match them into being a playoff team with maybe a 25-game improvement in just 12 months. Settling down the starting pitching and establishing a true-lock down closer would mean even more improvement for next season

I guess having talent and good manager makes a difference, huh?
 
#421      
Illini2010-11
Updated scenarios: Sox magic number for division is 6 with five to play (still do not control destiny)

Unlike yesterday, where we would be closely watching Houston, eyes should be on Texas. Magic number to secure Wild Card is down to 2. If Sox win tonight and Texas loses, then the White Sox will secure a playoff spot. The White Sox magic number over Houston is 3, while magic number over Toronto and Baltimore is 1.

It is conceivably possible that the White Sox clinch a playoff spot before the Cubs.
 
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