White Sox Face Growing Concerns Ahead of ALDS Game 4

After coming up short in a closeout opportunity and dropping Game 3 of the ALDS to the Cleveland Guardians, the Chicago White Sox are still chasing a postseason series clinch that hasn't happened in front of their home fans in 120 years.

And while Chicago still has a game in hand with a 2-1 series advantage and another home game coming up on Thursday night, the pitching matchups now swing back in Cleveland's favor.

If there's one concern for White Sox fans right now, that's it.

Left-hander Parker Messick, who has been a tough customer for the White Sox all season, will take the mound for the Guardians in Game 4.

First pitch has been moved to prime time at 7 p.m. CT following the Tampa Bay Rays' sweep of the New York Yankees. Blackout 2.0 will take place under the bright lights.

But the White Sox will have to find a way to overcome Cleveland's best starting pitcher or risk sending the series back to Progressive Field for a decisive Game 5, with the Guardians carrying all the momentum.

Not to mention the concerns surrounding White Sox pitching heading into Game 4.

The organized chaos of Chicago's bullpen approach, which had been so effective in the early stages of the postseason, didn't fare nearly as well in Game 3 of the ALDS.

Several White Sox pitchers struggled with their command, issuing far too many free passes to Guardians hitters. Walking Cleveland's offense is a recipe for disaster. Will Venable said as much before the series began, and we saw that play out firsthand on Wednesday.

The White Sox have Sean Burke ready to go if he's needed for a decisive Game 5. But in Game 4 on Thursday evening, it will be Hagen Smith taking the ball to start, followed by another barrage of White Sox bullpen arms.

Anthony Kay, Jordan Hicks and Grant Taylor should all be available, giving Venable his pick of the litter among his most reliable bullpen options.

This, however, will be the first playoff game the White Sox have played this postseason without an off day in between. Perhaps that's a good thing for the team's ability to bounce back. But it may not be ideal given the way Chicago has deployed its pitching staff thus far.

The pressure is still on Cleveland. The Guardians are still the team playing for their season, and the White Sox are sure to have another rowdy home crowd behind them. But after one closeout opportunity slipped away, the pitching matchups now swing in Cleveland's favor, leaving White Sox fans with some justified nerves about the next two games.

No team has lost a Division Series after taking a 2-0 lead since Cleveland did so against the New York Yankees back in 2017.

The White Sox certainly don't want to inherit that distinction from their division rival.