Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · Sep 28
White Sox Open Wild-Card Series Against 84-Win Astros With Bullpen-Day Duel
Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · Sep 28

White Sox Open Wild-Card Series Against 84-Win Astros With Bullpen-Day Duel

3 articles · Updated · Chicago Tribune · Sep 28

Summary

  • Chicago opens its best-of-three AL wild-card series in Houston with a modified bullpen day, matching Astros manager Joe Espada’s Game 1 bullpen plan.
  • 84-win Chicago arrives as an underdog despite a plus-56 run differential, while Houston stumbled in as a .500 club after losing the AL West and firing its general manager on Aug. 24.
  • 226 home runs made the Astros dangerous, but they still ranked just 13th in runs, 18th in batting average, 24th in ERA and 18th in Outs Above Average.
  • Will Venable faces his first playoff game as manager with every pitching move under scrutiny, especially in a short series where Chicago will not play at home unless it advances.

Insights

Can the White Sox’s stunning turnaround survive a bullpen-only playoff opener against a power-heavy Astros team led by Yordan Alvarez?
Did Chicago’s late collapse into the wild card set up a dangerous trap, or a chance to prove its rebuild is real?