Sean Burke gets the ball in Game 2 as the White Sox look to finish off the Astros and punch their ticket to the ALDS.
Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable was noncommittal a few days back when asked about his club's Game 2 pitching plans for the Wild Card Series.
After a gutsy 6-3 victory in Game 1, however, Venable didn't hesitate to name his Game 2 starting pitcher.
“Sean Burke will start tomorrow,” Venable told the media Tuesday evening.
Burke, 26, is the intuitive option for the White Sox. He's pitching on regular rest after last taking the mound Friday against the Colorado Rockies. He's also been Chicago's most reliable starting pitcher over the course of the 2026 season.
Over his final 18 starts of the regular season, the White Sox went 14-4 when Burke took the ball, and he posted a 2.74 ERA during that stretch.
Burke faced these Houston Astros twice during the regular season.
On July 25 in Chicago, he delivered six strong innings, allowing two earned runs while recording 10 strikeouts. He took the loss, however, as the White Sox were shut out over seven innings by Astros ace Hunter Brown.
It will be a rematch of that pitching duel on Wednesday, with the White Sox trying to win their first postseason series since 2005.
Burke was also on the mound in Houston on September 1, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and recording six strikeouts.
Another performance like that would be exactly what the doctor ordered for the White Sox, who will need some length out of Burke after using many of their top bullpen arms on Tuesday.
The White Sox gave some consideration to using an opener ahead of Burke, a viable strategy given how much the Astros' hitters at the top of the lineup have struggled against left-handed pitching in particular.
But with both Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor emptying the tank in the Game 1 victory, the White Sox are choosing to hold left-hander Bryan Hudson back, likely for a high-leverage situation later in the game.
It was a breakout season for Burke, who anchored the White Sox rotation. Chicago will need more quality starts from him if it plans on making a deep postseason run.
It's an opportunity Burke embraces, viewing it as an honor more than a source of pressure.
Chicago's ace went a bit viral Tuesday evening when he put into perspective just how much of his life revolves around baseball and how locked in he is heading into the biggest start of his young career.
“This is my life. No family, no girl, no kids. This is all I do,” Burke told the Chicago Sun-Times (via James Fegan).
When phrased in that manner, it's a bit funny for sure. Burke's comments certainly won't do anything to lower expectations for Wednesday. But it also speaks to the confidence and focus of a pitcher who doesn't seem overwhelmed by the moment.
That mentality fits this White Sox team well. Chicago has leaned into its youth and consistent underdog status throughout the season, and the Sox believe both can continue to be weapons as the stakes get higher in October.
That's the case again on Wednesday, with Burke under the microscope even with a 1-0 series lead. The outside expectation is for Brown to outperform Burke once again and keep this White Sox offense at bay (Houston is favored in the game by 1.5 runs). But that just means it's an opportunity for the right-hander to make a name for himself on a national stage and punch Chicago's ticket to the ALDS.
