The Chicago White Sox may be leading the American League Central, but their recent Crosstown Classic matchup with the Chicago Cubs exposed several issues that could become much more serious if the club reaches the postseason.
The White Sox entered the series with the confidence of a division leader, but the Cubs repeatedly found ways to put pressure on them late. Chicago’s South Side club ultimately dropped the series after suffering consecutive walk-off defeats, including Tuesday’s 4-3 loss at Wrigley Field, when Alex Bregman delivered the decisive ninth-inning RBI single.
The losses were especially frustrating because the White Sox had opportunities to win both games. Instead, their pitching, bullpen execution and ability to protect leads became major talking points.
Late-game pitching remains a concern
One of the clearest problems exposed by the series was the White Sox’s difficulty finishing games.
Chicago had built a 3-2 advantage Tuesday after Tristan Peters drove in a run with a fourth-inning double. The White Sox were unable to hold that lead, however, allowing the Cubs to tie the game before Bregman eventually ended it.
The bullpen was particularly vulnerable when the Cubs created traffic on the bases. Two walks opened the bottom of the seventh inning, putting immediate pressure on the White Sox pitching staff. Although Chicago recorded two strikeouts, Bregman followed with a game-tying RBI single.
That sequence illustrated the danger of giving postseason-caliber offenses extra opportunities. In October, walks and poorly executed pitches can quickly turn a comfortable situation into a crisis.
The Cubs continually pressured the White Sox
The Cubs also demonstrated how dangerous they can be when their lineup gets rolling.
Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his spectacular power surge by hitting a leadoff home run for the second consecutive game. The blast was his 31st homer of the season and his third of the series.
Michael Busch also homered early, giving the Cubs a 2-0 lead before the White Sox mounted their comeback.
Even when Chicago’s pitching appeared to settle down, the Cubs continued to manufacture opportunities. Erick Fedde was excellent in relief, retiring 11 consecutive batters and working 4 2/3 scoreless innings. But once Fedde left, the Cubs eventually found openings against the subsequent relievers.
That could be an important warning sign for the White Sox. Strong starting pitching can carry a team through stretches of the regular season, but postseason games frequently come down to the final three or four innings.
Starting pitching showed both promise and vulnerability
The White Sox also received a mixed performance from their pitching staff.
Fedde provided stability after the early damage, striking out five while limiting Chicago’s offense. His ability to bridge the middle innings was one of the positives from the series.
But the White Sox still had difficulty keeping the Cubs’ most dangerous hitters contained when the game reached its decisive stages.
For a team with October ambitions, the distinction between having a good rotation and having a dependable postseason pitching plan is significant. The White Sox need multiple pitchers capable of handling high-pressure situations without relying too heavily on their bullpen.
Offense has plenty of firepower but consistency matters
The White Sox’s lineup showed that it can produce power.
Munetaka Murakami continued his impressive season by hitting his 29th home run, an opposite-field solo shot that tied the game. Peters also contributed with his run-scoring double, while Colson Montgomery collected three hits.
Those performances highlight the potential of the lineup. The problem is that individual bursts of offense have not always translated into sustained production.
Against the Cubs, the White Sox scored three runs and briefly took control, but they couldn’t add enough insurance to prevent Chicago from coming back.
That is particularly dangerous in October. A team cannot assume that a one-run advantage will survive against strong playoff opponents.
Gausman’s injury added another storyline
The Cubs also dealt with their own pitching concern when Kevin Gausman experienced cramping in his left, non-throwing hand.
Gausman received attention from the Cubs’ training staff but initially stayed in the game. He eventually exited after allowing a single in the fifth inning, finishing with three runs allowed on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Although the injury wasn’t directly a White Sox problem, it helped create another unusual game in which Chicago had opportunities to capitalize on an opponent’s pitching uncertainty.
Instead, the White Sox couldn’t finish the job.
Why the series matters for October
The White Sox are still in a strong position and should not be judged entirely by two games against their crosstown rivals. However, the series exposed weaknesses that could become costly against elite postseason competition.
The biggest concerns are late-inning pitching, preventing walks, protecting narrow leads and generating enough offense to create separation.
Those problems can be hidden during the regular season when a team has 162 games to recover. October is different. One poorly managed inning can end a series.
The White Sox therefore have plenty to like about their team, particularly the production coming from players such as Murakami, Montgomery and Peters. But their losses to the Cubs served as a reminder that being the best team in the division during the regular season does not automatically mean being prepared for playoff baseball.
If Chicago wants to make a deep October run, it will need to turn these weaknesses into strengths before the postseason arrives. The Crosstown Classic may have been just another series on the schedule, but the lessons from it could prove significant when the games become much more important.
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