White Sox, Guardians Can Both Clinch Playoff Spots Today

By Wednesday morning the official scenarios were out. For the White Sox it's simple: beat the Royals and have the Rangers lose to the Mets. The Rangers are 78-79, so it would be their 2nd straight loss to New York. It would be the first White Sox postseason trip since 2021.

Scott Merkin

@scottmerkin

The Chicago White Sox can clinch a Postseason berth today with a win at Kansas City AND a loss by the Rangers vs. New York Mets.

Cleveland needs a win at Boston plus a loss by either the Rangers or the Astros. There's even more at stake at the top. Whoever wins the AL Central can lock up a Wild Card Series bye and home-field advantage in the Division Series today if 3 things happen: Cleveland wins, the Astros lose in Seattle and the Rangers lose. That's an odd spot, because the bye goes to a division champion nobody has decided yet.

Scott Merkin

@scottmerkin

Revised from the Postseason Outlook: The eventual AL Central Champion can clinch a bye in the Wild Card Series and home-field advantage in the Division Series today with a win by the Guardians at Boston AND a loss by the Astros at Seattle AND a loss by the Rangers vs. Mets

Wednesday's Gameday notes also had Seth Lugo on the Royals side. He's been rough lately: 8.68 ERA and 7 homers allowed over his last 4 starts. With the way the Sox are hitting, that's a bad trend to bring into this matchup.

Scott Merkin

@scottmerkin

Seth Lugo is 1-2, 8.68 ERA (18 ER /18.2 IP) and seven homers allowed in his last four starts, per MLBN Gameday notes.

Things to watch Wednesday night: the Sox in Kansas City, the Mets-Rangers score and the Guardians in Boston. If it all goes Chicago's way, they celebrate a playoff spot and still have 4 games left to chase Cleveland for the division, and they own the tiebreaker if it comes to that.