The White Sox Are Back in October: What’s At Stake In The Final Three Games

The White Sox clinched a postseason berth after averaging just 54 wins over the previous three seasons, including a 102-loss campaign the year before. They found the right mix of patience, power and a deep bullpen, winning 82 games with three still to play. Chicago ranks fourth in MLB in walks, sixth in home runs and fifth in runs per game at 4.8.

Chicago needs to finish at least one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians over the final three games of the regular season. The White Sox own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cleveland, so finishing tied with the Guardians would be enough to claim the AL Central title. If the White Sox sweep the Rockies, Cleveland would need to sweep Kansas City to keep Chicago out of first place.

Winning the division would give the White Sox a bye through the Wild Card Series and home-field advantage in the ALDS. That bye is especially valuable for Chicago's bullpen, which has thrown more innings than any other team in baseball, giving the relievers extra days of rest. The White Sox also own a strong home record of 46-32 at Rate Field compared to 36-45 on the road.

Miguel Vargas leads the way with 33 home runs and 92 RBIs, while rookie Munetaka Murakami has also hit 33 home runs in his first MLB season. The White Sox have three players with at least 30 home runs entering the final three games. That power has helped Chicago rank fifth in MLB with 4.8 runs per game.

If the White Sox fail to win the division, they would enter the postseason as the No. 6 seed and face the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round. The Astros have gone 5-2 against Chicago this season, outscoring the White Sox 31-28 in their seven matchups. That makes a Wild Card matchup against Houston a tough draw compared to the alternative of a first-round bye.