White Sox Win Again, But They Need to Look West as Wild Card Reality Sets In

The Chicago White Sox are taking care of business, but that doesn't mean they will end up at the top of the AL Central.

Sep 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) looks up after he hit a home run during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The White Sox did exactly what they needed to do in the opening of their final regular-season series. Their 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies was as painless as painless could be.

Of course, even this win showcased a combination of both the good and the bad. Munetaka Murakami hit his 34th and 35th home runs on a three-RBI night to bolster his case for AL Rookie of the Year. On the flip side, Colson Montgomery struck out for the 224th time this season to set a dubious MLB single-season record.

But good and bad individual accomplishments aren't exactly on Sox fans' minds right now. With the playoffs secure, the attention has turned to the AL Central race, which the Cleveland Guardians still have a one-game lead in after defeating the Kansas City Royals.

While the Sox remain in play for the division title and the first-round bye that goes with it (and still have the advantage of the tiebreaker), it's becoming less likely by the day that they'll catch the Guardians. They didn't get much help from the Boston Red Sox, and it certainly isn't advisable to count on the Royals to provide it.

Sep 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci (17) celebrates in the dugout after scoring during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is not to discourage the Sox from pursuing a sweep of the Rockies. This is about not thinking that they're just going to capture the AL Central, even though they led it uninterrupted for two and a half months.

So with having to go on the road for a best-of-three wild-card series more likely, it now is worth paying attention to the AL West race, which is even tighter. The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are tied for first place in that division, with the Astros holding the tiebreaker there.

Anyone who has watched the 2026 Sox closely will recall that they won two of three road games against the Rangers but lost three of four in a road series to the Astros. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which team Sox fans would be more confident in facing on the road in a short series.

We could go on about the various games the Sox let get away this season that put them in this spot, but all that would do is dampen an exciting moment for the franchise. And maybe one has to tip their cap to a Guardians team that has done exactly what it's needed to do to control its own destiny.

Don't give up hope yet, but don't feel overly confident that an easier playoff path is coming.