The White Sox are suddenly in a very different place than they were two seasons ago, when they dropped 121 games. Now Chicago is in the mix for the postseason and still has a shot to win the AL Central for the first time since 2021.
They enter the stretch sitting one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for first in the division, and if they want to secure an automatic trip to the ALDS, they’ll need more than just the everyday lineup to carry them. The bench matters too, even if not every reserve has been pulling his weight at the plate.
Luisangel Acuna has been one of the biggest offensive drains on the roster. The outfielder and shortstop, who is the younger brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., has struggled badly this season and was labeled Chicago’s worst player of 2026 by Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer.
"To be fair, Edgar Quero has taken exactly as many plate appearances (217) as Acuña and has been even more of a straggler, to the tune of -0.8 rWAR. At least he's off the roster, whereas Acuña is still doing the bad kind of damage," Rymer wrote.
Through 98 games, Acuna is hitting .227/.260/.261 with one home run and a .522 OPS. Rymer also noted that his 47 OPS+ means he has been 53 percent worse than the average hitter, and that among players with at least 200 plate appearances, only three have been less productive at the plate.
Even with the bat lagging far behind, Acuna could still have a role if Chicago reaches October. His speed remains a real asset, as he ranks in the 98th percentile for sprint speed.
In Other News...
White Sox Make A Surprising Lineup Bet Against Kansas City
The White Sox head into a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium with an eye on a Kansas City pitching staff that is still settling into roles. Chicago announced a balanced lineup against a left-hander, with Miguel Vargas leading off and Randal Grichuk hitting third, a setup that gives the order a different look than usual while the club tries to find the right mix against the Royals.
Kansas Citys probable options add another layer to the matchup, with Anthony Kay coming in after a rough stretch and Daniel Lynch working as a starter since the trade deadline. For Chicago, the question is whether this lineup construction can give it an early edge in a series where the pitching matchup may be just as fluid as the batting order. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Still Have One Bullpen Trust Issue Before October
The White Sox brought in Huascar Brazoban at the trade deadline to give their bullpen a needed jolt heading into October, but the first month after the move did not exactly settle any nerves. Before the injury, he was fighting through control issues and had put up a 6.30 ERA with Chicago, making it hard to know what kind of late-inning help the club was actually getting from the former Met.
Brazoban has now returned from a left lat strain and logged a scoreless inning in his latest appearance, which at least gives the White Sox something to build on as the postseason nears. Still, the larger question remains the same: whether he can be trusted when the games tighten up and the margin for error gets thin. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Enter A Final Week That Could Change Everything
The final week has arrived with the standings still packed tight enough to keep the White Sox on edge, and the broader playoff picture only adds to the tension. In the National League, the main field is largely settled, while in the American League the Rangers are hanging onto the West by a game and the Guardians are just ahead of Chicago in the Central.
For the White Sox, the more important race is the one they are trying to hold onto themselves. They sit in the final wild-card spot, with Houston, Toronto and Baltimore all close enough to make every result matter, and the tiebreakers hanging over the bracket only sharpen the stakes. It is the kind of last week that can change not just a seeding line, but the entire shape of October. [Read more 🡒]