The White Sox may not be handing the Guardians a normal playoff pitching script, and that could ripple straight into how Cleveland fills out its lineup for Game 1 of the ALDS.
Chicago’s Wild Card Series against the Astros already leaned into October chaos. Both clubs opened the series with bullpen games, and the longest outing in the series came from Sean Burke, who worked four innings in Game 2. It wasn’t traditional, but it got the job done for the White Sox, and it’s the kind of approach that could follow them into their best-of-five matchup with Cleveland.
That matters because the Guardians still like to shape their lineup around platoon edges whenever they can. They’ve been a little more consistent with their construction this season than they were last year, but the basic idea remains the same: find the matchup, exploit it, and keep the leverage on their side.
That’s a lot simpler against a starter expected to go deep. It gets a whole lot messier when a game starts with an opener or turns into a parade of relievers.
White Sox manager Will Venable said he was still sorting through the pitching plan for Saturday’s series opener, though Davis Martin looks like the main option, either as a traditional starter or with an opener ahead of him. Chicago led MLB with 31 opener uses, so the possibility isn’t exactly a surprise. The only real question is whether it shows up in Game 1.
If the White Sox do go with an opener, or if they push all the way into a bullpen game, the Guardians could be forced into the kind of lineup wrinkle they’d rather avoid. They’ve been using first base as a mini-platoon, with 75% Nathaniel Lowe and 25% David Fry, and they’ve also adjusted their outfield based on the pitcher’s handedness. Fry is their biggest late-game pinch-hit threat, but Chicago’s pitching approach could cut off that lane entirely - or leave Fry in the game only long enough to get lifted for a pinch-hitter against a right-handed arm.
In Other News...
Guardians First Base Decision Just Got More Interesting For October
Nathaniel Lowe arrived in Cleveland before the trade deadline and quickly gave the Guardians a steadier look at first base over 43 games, even if the bat did not quite match the production he had shown with Cincinnati. His offense dipped by traditional measures, but Stephen Vogt has kept pointing to the same qualities that matter in a clubhouse gearing up for the stretch run: a professional approach, veteran presence and enough lineup stability to help the Guardians keep moving.
The October wrinkle is what makes Lowes role worth watching now. He has driven in 27 runs and offered the kind of dependable presence a playoff team can lean on, yet the lower batting average and wRC+ leave the first-base picture a little more complicated than it looked when he first arrived. As the postseason gets closer, the Guardians still have to decide how much they want that steadiness to define the position if a bigger offensive spark becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Draw A Dangerous White Sox Team At The Worst Time
The Guardians and White Sox spent the 2026 regular season seeing plenty of each other, meeting 13 times before Cleveland wrapped up the division on the penultimate day. Now the rivals are right back together in the ALDS, and this time the setting shifts to Progressive Field, where the Guardians will try to turn home-field advantage into an early edge in a matchup that already carries plenty of familiarity.
Chicago arrives with real momentum after sweeping the Astros in the Wild Card Series, a run that included Chase Meidroths three-run homer in a decisive moment. For Cleveland, that makes the timing of this draw a little less than ideal, because the White Sox are not just a division foe the Guardians know well - theyre a club that has just shown it can carry that confidence deep into October. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Face One ALDS Decision That Could Shape The Series
A first-round bye gave Cleveland a few extra days to breathe before the ALDS, but it also handed Stephen Vogt a decision that could shape the tone of the series. With the Guardians entering the next round without having played in a while, the manager is weighing his Game 1 starter while also trying to keep the roster sharp through the layoff.
Gavin Williams and Parker Messick are among the options, and the choice carries added weight because Cleveland has spent the break on simulated at-bats and workouts rather than live action. The challenge now is striking the right balance between rest and rhythm, with Vogt trying to make sure his club arrives ready when the postseason games begin again. [Read more 🡒]