White Sox vs. Guardians Lineup (ALDS Game 5): Win or Go Home, No Braden Montgomery?
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After a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, the Chicago White Sox are facing a do-or-die elimination game in Cleveland. The winner of this one will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.
Game Info
Who: Chicago White Sox (84-78) vs. Cleveland Guardians (85-77)
Where: Progressive Field
When: 7:00 CT
Watch: TBS/HBO MAX, TruTV. Univision/TUDN
Listen: ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM, TUDN, ESPN Radio
Chicago White Sox Lineup
1. Sam Antonacci, LF
2. Kyle Teel, C
3. Miguel Vargas, 3B
4. Munetaka Murakami, 1B
5. Andrew Benintendi, DH
6. Tristan Peters, RF
7. Chase Meidroth, 2B
8. Colson Montgomery, SS
9. Brenton Doyle, CF
The White Sox, in a last-ditch effort to win the American League Division Series, will go with an interesting lineup. Sam Antonacci will lead off against a right-hander, playing left field. You have to imagine that he will be lifted for Randal Grichuk late for defensive purposes, but Antonacci has slashed .250/.435/.313 in five postseason games.
Kyle Teel will bat second, despite slashing .200/.259/.240 in the playoffs. Miguel Vargas, after a home run on Thursday, will be counted on to break his postseason slump and be a huge factor in Game 5.
Munetaka Murakami will also look to make a big impact. Outside of a home run in Game 1 of this series, Murakami hasn't been a factor, slashing .217/.296/.348 in the postseason. Andrew Benintendi will get the start at designated hitter against right-hander Gavin Williams. Meanwhile, Tristan Peters will surprisingly be in right field over Braden Montgomery, who will take a seat against Williams. Peters is slashing .278/.316/.333 in the playoffs, which undoubtedly makes this a surprising choice. Don't be surprised if we see him pinch-hit at some point, especially if the White Sox end up playing from behind.
Chase Meidroth will bat seventh, despite slashing .348/.400/.565 in the postseason. Colson Montgomery will move up to eighth in the order, which means Brenton Doyle rounds things out and starts in center field against a right-hander.
Cleveland Guardians Lineup
1. Steven Kwan, LF
2. José Ramírez, 3B
3. Chase DeLauter, RF
4. Jo Adell, DH
5. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B
6. Travis Bazzana, 2B
7. Patrick Bailey, C
8. Petey Halpin, CF
9. Brayan Rocchio, SS
On The Mound...
Chicago White Sox - Sean Burke, RHP
With the season on the line, Sean Burke will make the start for the White Sox. They need a quality outing from Burke amid the White Sox bullpen issues during the last couple of games. In his previous appearance, Burke went 5.1 innings as a bulk reliever with one run allowed, retiring 13 consecutive batters. The White Sox would love a similar showing this afternoon.
Cleveland Guardians - Gavin Williams, RHP
Despite finishing Game 4 for Cleveland, Gavin Williams will make the start. It's unclear how long he'll be able to go, but the White Sox must drive up his pitch count early to have a chance. Plate discipline is a must for this White Sox offense, which will face one of the top strikeout pitchers in the league. In a do-or-die game, the White Sox need to have a short memory and get to Cleveland's pitching.
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Matthew Singer is a contributor for White Sox on SI. Before joining SI in 2026, he worked for Heavy as an MLB contributor and Cubs on SI. Singer has a master's degree in sports journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He loves sports more than anything in the world.