The White Sox face a familiar rival in Cleveland as they look to keep their magical postseason run alive and advance to the ALCS. Here’s how they can do it.
The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians played 13 highly contested games during the regular season. As the two clear frontrunners in the AL Central, every meeting seemed to carry playoff implications as the season went on.
Nine of those 13 games were decided by two runs or fewer. There were four walk-off finishes, and the White Sox ultimately won the season series 7-6 but lost the division title by just one game.
While they have different strengths and weaknesses, there's little doubt these teams are closely matched. They know each other well by now, but their first postseason series against one another raises the stakes considerably.
What will it take for the White Sox to continue their magical run and punch their ticket to the ALCS? What challenges await Will Venable's young, fun ballclub as it takes on a familiar foe?
Here are the two burning questions that could determine the ALDS for the White Sox.
1. How Will White Sox Pitching Hold Up Over a Longer Series?
Despite their unconventional approach and lack of a traditional starting rotation, the White Sox pitching staff put on a clinic in Houston during the Wild Card Series.
Chicago's collection of multi-inning arms was particularly impressive. Hagen Smith, Jordan Hicks, David Sandlin, Grant Taylor, Huascar Brazoban, Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde combined for 13 innings, allowing zero earned runs and five hits while striking out 14.
Venable has already announced Smith as Chicago's Game 1 starter, suggesting another bullpen-heavy game could be coming. The White Sox can play the matchups and deploy their pitchers in shorter bursts rather than ask a traditional starter to work deep into the game.
It's certainly unconventional, but it could be the most effective way for this pitching staff to get the 27 outs necessary to secure a win. In the postseason, you have to lean into your team's strengths. For the White Sox, that's their depth and the number of pitchers capable of handling multiple innings.
That approach, however, could become more difficult if this ALDS drags on.
The built-in off days between Games 1 and 2 and Games 2 and 3 will allow Chicago to rest its pitchers. But if the Guardians push this series to four or five games, how does an all-hands-on-deck approach hold up?
Games 3 and 4 would be played on consecutive days. If Venable needs several of his best arms to get through Game 3, his options could be more limited the following night.
Having fresh pitchers available in the biggest spots is essential for the White Sox. Cleveland will be looking to complicate that plan with patient at-bats, elevated pitch counts and as few easy outs as possible.
Chicago proved this strategy can work in a short series. Now comes the test of whether it can hold up over a longer one.
2. Can the White Sox Get After Cleveland's Bullpen?
Nothing has changed for the White Sox offensively. Their recipe for success is getting ahead and staying ahead, and no team in Major League Baseball scored more first-inning runs during the regular season.
We saw how effective that approach can be in Houston, especially in Game 2, when the White Sox knocked Astros starter Hunter Brown out of the game in the first inning.
The Guardians have the starting pitching advantage. Parker Messick, Cleveland's Game 1 starter, has been particularly tough on the White Sox this year. Chicago will need to capitalize when opportunities arise, especially considering the bullpen waiting behind him.
Cleveland's relievers posted a 3.54 ERA during the regular season, the sixth-best mark in baseball and third-best in the American League. Letting the Guardians turn a lead over to that group is a dangerous way to play this series.
But just as Cleveland can try to wear down Chicago's pitching staff, the White Sox can force the Guardians to work for their outs and test their bullpen depth.
Guardians Roundtable reporter Tommy Wild identified that as a key to the matchup:
“The one key for this White Sox team to beat the Guardians will be getting to their bullpen earlier. Cleveland’s reliever core is one of the best in baseball, and its 3.54 team ERA along with a 1.25 WHIP during the regular season proves it.
“This position group has carried the Guardians throughout the season, and it’ll be a similar strategy in the playoffs. That said, the White Sox can spoil those plans.
“Chicago has already proved this season that it can have success against the Guardians’ All-Star closer. Cade Smith was tied for the most saves in baseball and led the American League with 107 punchouts. He also gave up four earned runs in 8.1 innings against the White Sox (4.32 ERA).
“The Guardians are counting on the bullpen to hold up, but if the White Sox can flip the tables on Cleveland, they could create an opportunity to advance to the ALCS.”
- via Tommy Wild, Guardians Roundtable
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Getting to Cleveland's bullpen early doesn't guarantee success. But forcing the Guardians to cover more innings creates more opportunities for Chicago to find a favorable matchup, extend a rally or make their best relievers throw more pitches.
The White Sox have already shown they can beat this team. They did it seven times during the regular season, and they've had success against the closer Cleveland will trust with its biggest outs.
Now, the challenge is doing it three more times in October. If Chicago can keep its own arms fresh while putting pressure on Cleveland's pitching staff, there's every reason to believe this magical run can continue.
