The White Sox have spent most of the 2026 season sitting on top of the AL Central, and the Guardians have played a part in making that cushion a little more comfortable.
Chicago is trying to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021, and a first-round bye is in play if it can keep Cleveland behind it. As of Wednesday morning, the Guardians trailed by three games. They’ve been hotter lately, going 8-2 over their last 10, while the White Sox are 6-4 in that same stretch.
That gap could shrink or grow depending on how the final month unfolds, and Chicago’s schedule gives it a real chance to keep pushing. Cleveland, meanwhile, has drawn attention for not making a move that could have given its lineup a needed jolt.
“But the White Sox otherwise have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the majors, while the Guardians aren't even being serious in their pursuit of the postseason, opting against using one of their September callup spots on Ralphy Velazquez-who hit .356/.433/.867 with 15 home runs in August-presumably because they want him to continue playing in the minors if there is a lockout, which players cannot do if they are on a 40-man roster,” Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote.
Power has been an issue for Cleveland, and Velazquez would have been a clear answer in that area. Outfielder Angel Martinez leads the Guardians with only 14 home runs.
Even with that hole in the lineup, Chicago still has reasons to feel good about where this race is headed. “Even if Cleveland had promoted its top prospect, though, the White Sox have had astounding staying power with Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas all on the brink of 30 home runs,” Miller added. “They'll stay ahead, and they'll secure the No. 2 seed.”
In Other News...
Guardians First Base Problem Keeps Putting One Triple-A Bat In Focus
The Guardians keep circling back to the same issue at first base, where Kyle Manzardo, Nathaniel Lowe and Rhys Hoskins have all had their turns without producing the kind of steady offense Cleveland has been looking for. With that spot still unsettled, the spotlight has naturally shifted to Triple-A Columbus, where Ralphy Velazquez has done just about everything a prospect can do to force the conversation.
Velazquez was named the International League Player of the Month after a huge August that included 15 homers and a finish near the top of the league in several offensive categories. Even with that surge, Stephen Vogt said the club has held off on a promotion because it cannot promise Velazquez everyday playing time, leaving Cleveland with a familiar dilemma: an obvious bat waiting in the wings, and no easy path to get him into the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Brayan Rocchio Is Putting Cleveland In A Tough Lineup Spot
Brayan Rocchio looked like he had steadied Clevelands middle infield earlier this season, offering enough offense in the first half to make the spot feel more settled than it had been. But the second half has gone the other way, and the slump that followed eventually sent him to Triple-A in early 2025, a reminder that the Guardians infield picture can change quickly when the bat stops carrying its weight.
Now Cleveland is juggling three candidates for the middle infield in Rocchio, Angel Genao and Travis Bazzana, and that gives Stephen Vogt a real decision to make. If Genao and Bazzana keep pushing forward, Rocchio could find himself squeezed into a reserve role rather than getting the steady playing time he once seemed to have claimed, which is a tough spot for a player trying to work his way back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Postseason Problem They Never Expected From Bibee
Tanner Bibees latest outing only sharpened the concern around Clevelands rotation at the exact moment the Guardians can least afford it. The right-hander was tagged for five runs over four innings in a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays, a rough step backward for a team that is still hanging onto the American Leagues final Wild Card spot by a half-game.
Bibee has become the most uncomfortable subplot in a postseason chase that otherwise still has a path forward. He leads the majors with 15 losses, and while Cleveland has leaned on him as a central piece of the staff, the inconsistency has left the Guardians wondering whether they can trust him when the games get tighter and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]