The White Sox’s season ended the way too many of their October nights did: with strikeouts piling up, runs nowhere to be found, and José Ramírez making one swing feel like the whole story.
Cleveland’s 2-0 win in ALDS Game 5 sent the Guardians on, and it was Ramírez who delivered the blow in the fourth inning. After seeing four pitches above the zone and taking two high strikes, he adjusted, shortened up, and flicked a ball off his toes out to left field for a two-run homer.
Gavin Williams backed that swing with a brutal outing of his own. Even after what looked like a taxing “close” in Game 4 in Chicago, he was sharp for 5 ⅔ hitless innings and never let the White Sox settle in.
It was the longest no-hit start in Cleveland postseason history, and for Chicago it was another night of looking completely out of sync at the plate. Williams had struggled to dominate the White Sox in five previous starts against them, but not here.
This time he was in command from the jump.
The White Sox finally reached the sixth, and even then the game never really loosened. Williams got two outs in the inning before a hit batsman, a soft single from Kyle Teel and a walk to Miguel Vargas loaded the bases.
Cleveland went to Eric Sabrowski, and Munetaka Murakami came up with the one real chance Chicago had to make things interesting. Instead, he struck out on a pitch below the zone, just like so many of his teammates had done all night.
By then, the White Sox had 13 strikeouts through six innings, and they were closer to chasing their nine-inning postseason strikeout record of 19 than they were to the Cleveland run total.
Sean Burke and Sean Newcomb had kept the game within reach, and with the score still 2-0, every baserunner carried weight. Chicago did manage a little life in the seventh and eighth, with Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci each picking up a hit, but both innings were broken up by strikeouts on either side of those singles. There was never enough contact to build a real threat.
The ninth inning turned into a strange chase with history. The White Sox weren’t trying to stage a comeback so much as avoid joining the short list of teams to blow a series after going up 2-0. Instead, they were pushing toward the most strikeouts in a nine-inning postseason game, a mark they already owned from three days earlier.
They got there when Murakami struck out for the fourth time to start the inning, Andrew Benintendi added another whiff, and then Tristan Peters fanned to set a new all-time mark at 21 strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Six batted-ball outs. Twenty-one outs not put in play.
Cleveland won the 43rd do-or-die game in LDS history and, with three straight victories, buried some old October baggage in the process. The White Sox head home with a season that was excellent right up until the ending, but the final loss also laid bare the holes that need fixing: not enough depth on the mound and not enough contact in the lineup.
Changes will be necessary in coming back strong in 2027.
In Other News...
White Sox Have A Rotation Target Fans Should Take Seriously
The White Sox have turned the page to offseason planning after being knocked out of postseason contention by the Guardians, and the rotation is one of the first places the front office is likely to look for help. One name that is already worth keeping an eye on is Michael King, the Padres right-hander who fits the profile of a pitcher who could steady a staff that needs more certainty heading into next year.
King has drawn interest because of the way he pitched across both the regular season and October, giving him the kind of track record that can matter to a team looking for a dependable starter rather than a quick fix. He has also made it known he would like to stay in San Diego, but the market may still pull him into a broader sweep of free agency, which is why Chicago could have to move quickly if it wants to get seriously involved. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Have A Rotation Problem Three Arms Could Complicate
Pitching depth loomed large in the White Soxs AL Division Series collapse, and the issue is carrying straight into the offseason. After blowing a 2-0 lead, Chicagos rotation picture for 2027 already looks like a major talking point, with the front office expected to add arms while sorting through a group of in-house candidates who could help shape the staff.
Among the names to watch are Drew Thorpe, Mike Vasil and Hagen Smith, each bringing a different kind of uncertainty to the conversation. Thorpe has remained one of the more intriguing internal options, Vasil is working his way back, and Smith could get a longer look in a starters role, which gives the Sox a few possible paths but not much certainty yet. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Face A Huge Murakami Decision After His Big Season
Munetaka Murakami quickly became one of the biggest reasons the White Sox pushed all the way to the ALDS in 2026, even if the batting average never told the whole story. Signed to a two-year deal before the season, he delivered the kind of power production and run scoring that made him impossible to ignore, and by the end of the year he had done enough to put himself in position for something bigger than a short-term fit.
The next question now is how long that relationship lasts after his current contract runs out in 2027. ESPNs Jesse Rogers believes the White Sox and Murakami have a real interest in working toward a multi-year extension, which makes sense given how well the first chapter has gone, but there is no indication anything is close yet. For a team that just found a major middle-of-the-order force, the longer-term planning may be just as important as the breakout season itself. [Read more 🡒]