With a 2-0 shutout of the Cleveland Indians Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field, the host Chicago White Sox closed out a seven-game homestand with a 6-1 record. It was a homestand with plenty of positives.
Home runs are in vogue today. The long ball is king! There was a time, not so many years ago, that winning close games was the mantra of success.
All three games against Kansas City were one-run victories for the Sox, 2-1, 4-3, and 8-7.
The sweep of the Royals left the Sox with a 26-29 record when the Indians came to Chicago for four games. The Sox won three of four which left the teams in a tie for second place, each 29-30 through Monday. Minnesota led by 11½ games with an eye-popping 40-18 record.
A battle for second place in the American League Central Division hardly seems an attention-getter.
Wild card has not been tossed about when the White Sox were part of the conversion in recent seasons. Barely one-third part of this season has passed. The Sox are legitimately in the wild-card picture.
In 2018, the White Sox were 20-39 after 59 games and 11½ games out of first in the AL Central.
Minnesota has been shocking with its hot start. The Twins had the best winning percentage in Major League Baseball. The White Sox were two games out of the second wild card spot. The White Sox, Boston, Oakland, Cleveland, and the LA Angels were within two games and lumped together.