The White Sox are moving on, and now the matchup is set: Chicago will face the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series after knocking off the Houston Astros in two games.
Cleveland earned the bye by winning the AL Central by a single game, while the White Sox had to go through Houston and took care of business there. That sends this series to a national TV stage, with every game on TBS and truTV. Each matchup will also serve as the lead-in to the New York Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays series, with the winners advancing to the American League Championship Series.
The opener is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, when the White Sox visit the Guardians at 1 p.m. ET.
Game 2 follows on Monday, Oct. 5 in Cleveland at 5 p.m. ET.
The series then shifts to Chicago for Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. ET.
If the series goes the distance, Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. ET, and a deciding Game 5 would return to Cleveland on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m.
ET.
This is a matchup that comes with a little recent familiarity. The White Sox took the regular-season series 7-6, and that edge wound up mattering in the standings. Cleveland, though, closed the year by winning the last two meetings in September at Progressive Field.
The numbers suggest a classic strength-on-strength battle. Chicago scored the fifth-most runs in baseball this season and hit the fifth-most home runs. Cleveland, meanwhile, allowed the eighth-fewest runs and finished with the eighth-lowest team ERA.
For the White Sox, this is their first playoff appearance since 2021. Their last trip to the ALCS came in 2024, their last World Series appearance was in 2016, and their last title came in 1948. Chicago last won the World Series in 2005.
In Other News...
Guardians Send Clear Message With Urgent Game 2 Lineup Shakeup
The Guardians came into Game 2 against the White Sox with a noticeably different look, making several lineup adjustments that suggested urgency after the opener. Patrick Bailey was behind the plate and Nathaniel Lowe handled first base, while Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell were shifted into different defensive spots as Cleveland also rearranged the batting order.
Chicago answered with changes of its own, inserting Andrew Benintendi, Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters while moving Kyle Teel up to the No. 2 spot. With both clubs altering the mix on the fly, the second game had the feel of a quick reset, with Cleveland clearly trying to spark something early and keep the series from settling into one team's preferred rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Real First Base Problem
Clevelands run to a third straight AL Central title came with plenty of familiar caveats, but first base has emerged as one of the clearest offseason questions on the roster. Kyle Manzardo looked like part of the answer after his breakout in 2025, only to stumble offensively in 2026 and wind up back in Triple-A. The Guardians responded at the trade deadline by adding Nathaniel Lowe and Jo Adell, a sign they were willing to patch the spot quickly rather than wait for the bats to come around.
Now the bigger issue is what comes next. Manzardos future in Cleveland is uncertain, and prospect Ralphy Velazquez is expected to take over first base, which puts the organization in a position it likely did not expect when the season started. The Guardians have survived roster uncertainty before, but this one has the feel of a move that could reshape how they handle the position for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Need Someone Else To Deliver Their Big October Moment
The Guardians had plenty of pitching in place for a familiar playoff script, but the first game of the ALDS turned on the kind of offensive drought that can make even a solid performance feel hollow. Chicagos 3-0 win was driven by Munetaka Murakamis two-run homer, while Cleveland spent the night trying to solve a parade of White Sox arms, including Anthony Kay and Sean Burke, and never found the timely hit it needed.
Clevelands players pointed to the challenge of facing multiple starters in one game, even as they leaned on the comfort of having seen this Chicago pitching staff during the regular season. The bigger issue is less about recognition than execution, because the Guardians now need someone beyond the mound work to supply the defining October swing if they want this series to tilt back their way. [Read more 🡒]