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Colorado Rockies at Chicago White Sox

By JR·2 min read
Colorado RockiesCOL(57-103)
Chicago White SoxCWS(83-77)
AT
6:10 PM CT

TLDR: The White Sox have a playoff spot already and want the division, and the Colorado Rockies are 57-103 and have lost 5 straight. Chicago's weekend plan is simple: beat the worst team in the building and watch the Cleveland score.

SAT SEP 26, 6:10 PM
Spread
WIN
Total
Rockies
(57-103)
LLLLL
White Sox
(83-77)
WWLWW

The White Sox, already in the playoffs and chasing Cleveland for the AL Central, host a 57-103 Rockies team that has lost 5 straight. Davis Martin, who has been excellent in September, faces Jose Quintana, who is 1 start back from a long elbow layoff and on a short pitch count. That means Colorado's depleted bullpen likely has to cover most of the game against a Sox team using its bullpen hard to chase the division.

Rockies
  • Quintana is healthy after missing 4 months
  • Scored 8 runs in the Arizona finale
  • No pressure, can only play spoiler
  • Quintana limited to about 70 pitches
  • Bullpen missing Herrera, Petit and Ohl
  • 1 run in each of last 2 games
White Sox
  • Martin allowed 2 ER in 20.1 September innings
  • Division race means maximum bullpen usage
  • Murakami hit 2 HR Friday
  • Meidroth day-to-day, hamstring
  • Martin pulled early at 70 pitches last time
  • Castillo's IL stint thins the rotation

Davis Martin (9-7, 3.84) gets the ball at Rate Field against Jose Quintana (2-3, 5.40), and the 2 have had very different Septembers. Martin has allowed 2 earned runs over 20.1 innings in 4 September outings. That includes a scoreless 4.1 innings against Detroit last time out, though he got an early hook at 70 pitches. Quintana is only 1 start back from a sprained left elbow that cost him everything from May 24 on. His return against Seattle went 4 innings, 3 runs, 2 strikeouts, and 70 pitches was about the ceiling, since he built up to only 2.1 innings and 47 pitches on his rehab assignment.

Jose Quintana
Jose Quintana
(2-3)·5.40 ERA
Sep 19 vs Mariners
ND
4.0IP
3ER
2K
1BB
70P
09/26 Lineup
Davis Martin
Davis Martin
(9-7)·3.84 ERA
Sep 20 vs Tigers
ND
4.1IP
0ER
6K
2BB
70P
09/26 Lineup

That short leash matters more than Quintana's ERA. If Colorado gets 4 innings from its starter again, the other 5 go to a bullpen that has been gutted all year. Welinton Herrera, RJ Petit and Pierson Ohl are all on the 60-day IL with elbow injuries, and the pen just gave up 7 and 12 runs in the Arizona sweep. Chicago has injury questions too. Chase Meidroth sat Friday with left hamstring discomfort, and Luis Castillo went on the 15-day IL Thursday with a right shoulder impingement. Neither hurts this game much, since Castillo wasn't lined up to pitch it. The board has Chicago as a heavy favorite, which is about what these rosters deserve.

What makes this more than a September game against a doormat is the standings. Per the Sun-Times, the Sox clinched a playoff berth Thursday in Kansas City and trailed Cleveland by 1 game in the AL Central, with the season-series tiebreaker in their pocket, so a tie is as good as a win. Will Venable is calling it 'all hands on deck.' The club is starting its 3 innings leaders, Sean Burke, Martin and Anthony Kay, this weekend and has said it will use the bullpen hard rather than rest people for the Wild Card round.

Colorado Rockies
(57-103)
09/25L@White Sox1-6
09/24LvsDiamondbacks8-12
09/23LvsDiamondbacks3-5
09/22LvsDiamondbacks2-7
09/20LvsMariners1-2
Chicago White Sox
(83-77)
09/25WvsRockies6-1
09/24W@Royals9-1
09/23L@Royals4-5
09/22W@Royals14-11
09/20WvsTigers8-1

Burke opened the set with 5.1 innings of 1-run ball in a 6-1 win Friday, and Munetaka Murakami hit 2 home runs the night after the clinch celebration. That made it 4 wins in 5 for Chicago, including 2 of 3 in Kansas City. Colorado is going the other way: 0-5, with 1, 2, 3 and 1 runs in 4 of those losses. The one outlier was an 8-run game that the Diamondbacks still won by 4.

Colorado Rockies
(7)
  • 10-Day-ILWilli Castro (2B) — Castro (heel/knee) said Wednesday that he will miss the remainder of the 2026 season.09/17
  • 60-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday.06/23
  • 60-Day-ILWelinton Herrera (RP) — Herrera (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season.06/02
  • 60-Day-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) had been scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this weekend.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILRJ Petit (RP) — The Rockies transferred Petit (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILPierson Ohl (RP) — The Rockies placed Ohl (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILKris Bryant (DH) — The ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options.05/08
Chicago White Sox
(9)
  • Day-To-DayNewChase Meidroth (2B) — Meidroth is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies due to left hamstring discomfort.09/25
  • 10-Day-ILJoey Bart (C) — Bart is expected to be sidelined for "over a month" due to a left hand fracture.08/07
  • 15-Day-ILLuis Castillo (SP) — The White Sox placed Castillo on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right shoulder impingement.09/24
  • 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa (RP) — Berroa (elbow) is scheduled to begin throwing off a mound next week.09/03
  • 60-Day-ILKy Bush (SP) — Bush (elbow) has been shut down for the 2026 season due to a strained left lat.09/03
  • 60-Day-ILJordan Leasure (RP) — Leasure underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL in August.08/31
  • 60-Day-ILMike Vasil (RP) — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILTanner Murray (LF) — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILBrooks Baldwin (LF) — The White Sox transferred Baldwin (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08

First pitch is 6:10 PM CT, with a cloudy 59 degrees and a 7 mph breeze forecast, which is not a night for fly balls to carry. The Rockies' only real draw is the chance to play spoiler. Martin has been the steadiest arm in the Sox rotation this month, and he's facing a lineup that has scored 1 run a game in its last 2. Chicago will be checking Cleveland's score between innings.

Live Odds

Colorado Rockies at Chicago White Sox — White Sox Chase the Central Crown Against a Rockies Club Running on Empty | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush