The Chicago White Sox got a little extra encouragement ahead of their Wild Card series against the Houston Astros: a letter from Pope Leo XIV arrived at Rate Field on Tuesday.
The note came on official Vatican stationery and was sent to Jerry Reinsdorf after he wrote to the Pope about the White Sox’s “Pope Night” at the ballpark. That event included a White Sox-themed Pope hat for every fan in attendance. It had first been planned as an exclusive giveaway, but demand got so high that the team opened it up to everyone in the park.
In the letter, Pope Leo XIV wrote:
"I was please to receive the kind letter that you sent following the game that took place at Rate Field on August 11, 2026. I am most grateful for this thoughtful gesture.
As I have noted, "sport can truly become a school of life, where all can learn that abundance does not come from victory at any cost, but from sharing, from respecting others and from the joy of walking together" (Letter Life in Abundance, 6 February 2026). In this spirit, it is my hope that the White Sox will continue to foster bonds of friendship and solidarity among people, and thus bear hopeful witness to the possibility of living and working together in peace.
With these sentiments, I willingly invoked the Almighty's abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones."
The White Sox shared the letter on Tuesday, and it landed at a fitting moment for a franchise that has leaned into its connection with the first American-born Pope. Leo XIV, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, is a lifelong White Sox fan and even attended a World Series game during the team’s 2005 run.
He has also shown that support in public, including wearing a White Sox hat he was gifted. The team even held a Mass at the ballpark earlier this season.
And now, with the White Sox set for their first postseason trip in five years, the blessing feels a little bigger than a keepsake for the frame. Even with the Astros holding home-field advantage, they enter the series as the worst team to reach the postseason at 81-81.
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Astros Face An Unusual Game 1 Question In The Wild Card
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For the Astros, the broader question is how their lineup handles a White Sox club that arrives with some real offensive names in the mix, including Miguel Vargas and Munetaka Murakami. Houston will lean on Yordan Alvarez as one of the biggest threats in the series, but in a short format like this, the opening matchup can quickly shape everything that follows. [Read more 🡒]