CLEVELAND -- The White Sox are back in a place they haven’t visited in six years: a September series with first place in the American League Central hanging in the balance.
That alone has changed the tone around this trip, and general manager Chris Getz wasn’t pretending otherwise Monday at Progressive Field. With Chicago set to open a three-game series against the two-time defending division champion Guardians, he called it a chance the organization has earned the hard way.
“Needless to say, we’ve come a long way,” Getz said Monday in the visitors' dugout at Progressive Field. “Flying in was a lot different from a lot of other trips I’ve had coming in here.
“As a whole, we felt like we’ve been playing with house money. What an opportunity for these guys to go out and compete with the Guardians.”
Chicago arrived at 76-73, a record that looks a lot different from the last few seasons. The White Sox won 60 games last year, 41 in 2024 and 61 in 2023, and now they’re in a spot where the margin has tightened fast. They had dropped 10 of their last 14 entering the opener, and that slide allowed Cleveland to move within one-half game, its closest position since July 21, after being six games back less than a month ago.
Getz didn’t shy away from the pressure that comes with that kind of stretch run.
“I know we’re kind of going through it right now and the stakes are high,” Getz said. “Obviously, there is a pressure component to all of these games, but we’re in first place and we’re having a series this important this late in the season.”
The front office also continues to deal with the fallout from a move made before the Deadline, when Chicago landed veteran starter Luis Castillo from Seattle for three players and cash. So far, the fit has not gone the way anyone wanted.
Castillo has made seven appearances, six of them starts, and he’s 1-2 with a 7.76 ERA. In his last three outings, he has allowed 13 earned runs across 10 2/3 innings.
“The quality of pitches have definitely gone in the wrong direction,” Getz admitted. “We’ve got to solve it.
We do. We’re continuing to look at some of the trends and the changes that have happened [since he left the Mariners].
It has been surprising.”
Getz also touched on the recent resignation of amateur scouting director Mike Shirley. No interim replacement will be named, and the comments pointed toward a broader rethink inside the department rather than a quick fix.
Since Getz took over as senior vice president and GM late in the 2023 season, the White Sox front office has moved in a positive direction. He said this latest moment will be part of a wider evaluation, one that goes beyond just the amateur side.
“We’re going to map out where we see the future is on the scouting front in all areas,” Getz continued. “Once that’s mapped out, we’ll figure out what the needs are for the organization. If that means that you’re going outside of the organization, so be it.”
In Other News...
White Sox Just Took On A Rotation Risk Fans Can't Ignore
The White Sox entered the August 1 trade deadline looking for rotation help and came away with a big-name arm in Luis Castillo, a move that instantly raised the temperature around the front offices plans. Castillo arrived from Seattle with a track record that suggested upside, but Chicago also inherited the kind of contract and recent inconsistency that can make a deadline gamble feel a lot more complicated once the games start.
Since the deal, the right-hander has had a rough stretch in Chicago, and the early returns have only sharpened the questions about whether this was a calculated bet or a costly one. Castillo was already coming off uneven work with the Mariners before the trade, and with $21.6 million still owed in 2027, the White Sox are now tied to a rotation risk that fans will be watching closely for a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Face Troubling Front Office Shakeup At A Critical Time
The White Sox are dealing with another off-field jolt at a time when stability matters, with scouting director Mike Shirley resigning after allegations of verbal harassment that included inappropriate racial and sexist comments. Shirley had already been placed on administrative leave while the organization conducted an internal investigation, and his departure adds another layer of uncertainty to a front office that has already had plenty to navigate.
Chicago now has an important scouting position to fill while it keeps moving ahead with preparations for the 2027 draft. No replacement has been announced, and the timing makes the vacancy especially notable because amateur scouting is one of the areas where a club can least afford disruption, particularly when it is trying to build toward a long-term reset. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Elko Is Giving White Sox Fans A Reason To Watch Charlotte
The White Sox may be finishing their season in the majors, but there is still plenty happening in the system, and Tim Elko has been one of the names worth tracking. Charlotte closed out a series against Buffalo by winning four of five, and Elko was rewarded for a strong offensive stretch by being named the Knights Player of the Week, a reminder that his bat continues to be one of the more interesting developments in the organization.
Elsewhere in the chain, Birmingham wrapped its season by taking four of six from Knoxville, with Samuel Zavala earning Player of the Week honors for his own offensive work. Between Charlottes recent run and the Barons finish, the White Sox have a few minor league hitters giving the organization some late-season traction, even if the next step for each player still has to be earned. [Read more 🡒]