Divisional Round Elimination Ends 2026 Campaign
The Chicago White Sox concluded their 2026 postseason run with a loss to the Cleveland Guardians in the divisional round. General manager Chris Getz constructed a young roster that showed potential during the regular season, but the team was unable to advance further in the playoffs.
During the regular season, the White Sox led the American League in runs scored. However, the team struggled significantly in the postseason, striking out 75 times across five games against Cleveland. The loss marks the end of a season where the organization relied heavily on power hitting from players including Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Colson Montgomery.
Despite the offensive output, internal critiques suggest that foundation pieces Sam Antonacci, Chase Meidroth, and Tristan Peters need to be more selfless with runners on base. This lack of situational execution contributed to the inability to convert regular-season run production into postseason victories.
Contrasting Approaches to Championship Contention
As Getz prepares for the 2027 offseason, Sports Illustrated highlights the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays as well-built organizations that reached the final stages of the 2026 World Series. One of these teams is expected to win its first championship.
The White Sox approach differed markedly from the two teams standing in the World Series. While Chicago led the league in runs, it relied on home runs for production. In contrast, the Brewers and Rays were near the bottom of their respective leagues in home runs but remained near the top in runs scored.
Tampa Bay achieved its offensive success through a different distribution of power. Third baseman Junior Caminero hit 42 home runs, with Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Díaz next closest at 22. In Milwaukee, Jake Bauers led the team with 26 home runs.
Rotation Depth and Bullpen Construction
A key distinction between the White Sox and the World Series contenders lies in pitching depth. The White Sox possess a solid bullpen and an ace in Sean Burke, but they lack starting rotation depth, which is expected to be a primary focus for Getz in the upcoming offseason.
The Tampa Bay Rays assembled an elite rotation featuring Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, and Freddy Peralta. Their relief corps was anchored by Bryan Baker, who led the American League in saves.
Milwaukee’s pitching staff was equally formidable, recording the second-best bullpen ERA (3.22) in 2026. The Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, a series highlighted by the performances of Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson.