Former White Sox and current Astros relief pitcher Bennett Sousa criticized Houston’s playoff atmosphere and compared it to a postseason crowd in Chicago.
Playing at home is supposed to be a massive advantage during Major League Baseball's postseason. We see every October how a crowd's involvement can fuel its team on the field and rattle the opposition.
But then again, some crowds are better than others.
The South Side of Chicago is one of the best environments in all of sports. When the Chicago White Sox field a competitive team, the atmosphere at Rate Field is up there with the most raucous in the league.
We saw that at times during the 2026 regular season. But we especially see it every time the White Sox are in the playoffs.
Back in 2021, Game 3 of the American League Division Series drew national attention for its atmosphere, with a blackout in the stands and White Sox fans on their feet for almost every pitch.
A good home crowd is bursting at the seams before a game even begins. We saw that Tuesday night in San Diego as the Chicago Cubs took on the Padres in a hostile environment at Petco Park.
Before the game even started, you'd have thought the Padres were winning based on the energy in the stadium. With every run San Diego tacked on, the noise got louder and the team grew more confident.
And then there are crowds like the one at Houston's Daikin Park on Tuesday. Quite frankly, it was a pathetic showing from Astros fans, who failed to provide the atmosphere playoff baseball deserves.
The White Sox looked like the more poised, more energetic team, and they won Game 1 of the Wild Card Series by a final score of 6-3. The Astros were getting booed by their own fans just one inning into the MLB playoffs.
After the game, even an Astros player acknowledged the difference. Houston's fans don't hold a candle to White Sox fans, and a spoiled fan base acted like it on Tuesday.
“The fans here are definitely spoiled with a lot of ALCS and World Series runs, and we have to earn that right to bring this team back to that position,” said Astros relief pitcher Bennett Sousa after the game.
“That being said, when this team was in their first playoff series 10 years ago, Minute Maid Park was probably packed. It makes a big difference. If we were in Chicago, it’d probably be loud as s—.”
He's not wrong about that. A White Sox playoff game on the South Side of Chicago would have been loud from the very first pitch. And if the White Sox can win one more game and secure their first postseason series victory since 2005, we'll see that on display in the ALDS.
Sousa would know, too. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 10th round of the 2018 MLB Draft and made his debut for the club in 2022. He wasn't part of a playoff team, but he knows how much the White Sox fan base cares.
Even to Astros players, it's obvious that White Sox fans are on another level.
Beyond keeping their World Series hopes alive and continuing a magical season, advancing past the Wild Card Series feels particularly important for the White Sox this year because of all the support they've received from their fan base.
We deserve October baseball on the South Side of Chicago. We deserve home playoff games.
Sean Burke takes the mound for the White Sox in Game 2, looking to keep the Astros crowd quiet and punch Chicago's ticket to the ALDS.
