A turnaround in Chicago
The Chicago White Sox are one win from the American League Championship Series after beating the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of their Division Series, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five matchup. The club reached the playoffs after three straight seasons of at least 100 losses, a turn few predicted. It entered 2026 projected to win about 67 games.
Game 2
Cleveland scored twice in the first inning to take an early lead, the first time the White Sox had trailed in this postseason. Chicago had led for 24 of the previous 27 playoff innings. The White Sox answered and pulled away. Pitcher Sean Burke struck out six and walked one over 5 1/3 innings while allowing one hit and one run. Manager and players pointed to a calm, team-first approach as the reason the club has handled the pressure.
What comes next
The series moves to Cleveland. The White Sox need one more win to advance to the next round. Pitcher Davis Martin said the team has stayed focused on the opponent in front of it rather than the size of the moment. "It's beating the guys in front of us," he said. "We've done a good job of being a selfless team this playoffs. It's paid off." The comeback story has drawn attention well beyond Chicago as the postseason field narrows.
Elsewhere, other division series continued with several clubs looking to clinch a place in the next round. The playoff bracket has been full of surprises, and Chicago's run ranks among the biggest.