The Chicago White Sox took a big step forward in their quest for an American League Central Division title on Tuesday, beating the Oakland A’s as the Cleveland Indians lost to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
The White Sox are drawing ever closer to clinching a playoff spot and a division title, and here’s where things stand heading into action on Wednesday.
Central Division Standings:
Chicago White Sox – 80-58
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Cleveland Indians – 68-68 (11 GB)
Detroit Tigers – 65-75 (16 GB)
White Sox Magic Number: 15
Chicago Baseball
The White Sox made some progress toward a Central Division title on Tuesday, beating the Oakland Athletics as the Cleveland Indians fell to the Minnesota Twins.
If the White Sox are able to nail down the Central Division crown, it would be the first they’ve won since 2008.
The Tampa Bay Rays kept the White Sox at bay in the race for the top seed in the American League, beating the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
If the Season Ended Today…..
If the season were to end today, the White Sox would be on the road to start the playoffs, taking on the American League West champion Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros currently lead the White Sox by one game in the battle for the second-seed in the American League.
The New York Yankees retained their hold on the top AL Wild Card spot, with the Boston Red Sox sitting just a half-game behind them. The winner of that game would be poised to play the Rays in the first round of the MLB playoffs.
The Road Ahead
After a 6-3 win over the A’s on Tuesday, the White Sox will continue their three-game set in Oakland on Wednesday night, with Dallas Keuchel taking the mound for Chicago in a rematch of the 2020 Wild Card Round series.
The Indians, losers of two straight games to the Twins, will have two more games at Progressive Field to complete that series, then will take on the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend.
After finishing up a series at Fenway Park on Wednesday, the Rays will have a day off before starting up a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park this weekend.
The Astros are finishing up a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, then they’ll head back to Houston to take on the Los Angeles Angels in a three-game series. Saturday will pose a tough matchup for the Astros, as they’ll face Shohei Ohtani.
