After having scored just 15 total runs over their past six games, the Chicago White Sox offense showed up when it mattered most in Monday night’s 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Kickstarted by an 18-pitch walk from Tristan Peters, the White Sox bats showed many of the familiar calling cards that make them the eighth-best offense by wRC+ in baseball.
With the win, Chicago fully owns the tiebreaker over Cleveland (7-4 in the season series). It also provided the club with a bit of reprieve in the form of a 1 1/2 game cushion in the AL Central.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees became the third and fourth teams to punch their tickets to the postseason, joining the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, who did so Friday.
In all, eight spots remain in the chase for October, four in each league.
If the playoffs started today, these would be the matchups:
With 12 games remaining, here’s what’s at stake Tuesday:
American LeagueAL West
With both Texas ballclubs off Monday, things in the West remain as they were after Sunday’s games: the Houston Astros up one game over the Texas Rangers. The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers and have the more favorable matchup of the two clubs. Houston will host the Kansas City Royals, owners of the fifth-worst record in baseball, and the Rangers will host the Boston Red Sox, a club on the verge of punching its own ticket to October.
AL Central
The White Sox and Guardians continue their three-game set Tuesday, with Cleveland hoping to keep pace. Though the Guardians no longer have a shot at the tiebreaker, they would leapfrog Chicago in the AL Central standings with wins in the next two games. With the Toronto Blue Jays and Rangers still alive, winning the AL Central is paramount to playing in October, as it might end up being the only route.
AL East
Aaron Judge’s first home run since coming off the injured list not only helped the Yankees clinch a postseason spot, but it also took the Rays’ lead in the AL East down to 3 1/2 games. The Rays were off Monday and will pick up Tuesday against the Athletics. New York still has a chance at catching Tampa Bay, making the battle for the AL East one of the few remaining races worth watching.
National LeagueNL West
After securing its 14th straight postseason appearance Monday, next up for Los Angeles is clinching the NL West. Another win against the Cincinnati Reds puts the Dodgers much closer to the NL West crown, which would be their 13th in the last 14 years. For now, the Dodgers join the 1991-2005 Atlanta Braves as the only teams in baseball history to make it to 14 straight postseasons.
NL Central
Despite a Cubs win Monday, the Brewers’ lead is far too great to overcome. The magic number to clinch the NL Central is down to two, either wins by Milwaukee or losses from Chicago, or both.
If Milwaukee keeps pace, it could finish with MLB’s best record, which would then grant it home-field advantage throughout October. (John Fisher / Getty Images)
NL East
Though the gulf between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Braves sits at 4 1/2 games, Atlanta owns the tiebreaker. Mathematically, the race isn’t over, but it would take massive losing and winning streaks on both sides for it to reignite.
Wild cardsAmerican League
Losses by Cleveland and the Blue Jays kept things where they were, with the Guardians owning the AL’s third and final wild-card spot and the Blue Jays on the outside looking in at one game back. The Blue Jays own the tiebreaker (4-2) over the Guardians but do not have one over the White Sox (1-5 season series) or the Rangers (0-4). The Rangers have a tiebreaker over the Guardians (4-2).
AL wild-card standings (Sept. 15)
National League
It took some late drama, but the Arizona Diamondbacks are still alive in the battle for the NL’s third wild-card spot. Neither the San Diego Padres nor the Diamondbacks have the tiebreaker, a matter that will be settled in the season’s final series. That said, with the way San Diego has been playing, it could try for the NL’s second wild-card, though it would require a late Phillies slide, as the Padres lost the season series (0-6).
NL wild-card standings (Sept. 15)
What to watch
Dodgers at Reds: With eyes firmly set on another NL West title, the Dodgers send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against the Reds, beginning at 6:40 p.m. ET. The three-game set also doubles as a preview for how manager Dave Roberts could structure his rotation come October, with midseason acquisition Tarik Skubal having pitched Monday and Blake Snell penciled in for Wednesday.
White Sox at Guardians: The battle for the AL Central continues Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. ET. Davis Martin, Chicago’s budding ace, will go opposite Foster Griffin, the Guardians’ big midseason acquisition in a deal with the Washington Nationals.
Brewers at Pirates: Its magic number down to two, Milwaukee will send NL Cy Young Award front-runner Jacob Misiorowski to the mound at 6:40 p.m. ET. It will be one of The Miz’s final regular-season starts as he looks to lock down the year-end award.
Braves at Cubs: Both clubs have something to play for, making this 7:40 p.m. ET matchup one to bookmark. Martín Pérez will start for Atlanta, and Chicago will counter with Kevin Gausman. Acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline from Toronto, Gausman has been uneven. In his last start, a four-inning turn against the Brewers, Gausman allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. He has a 5.31 ERA in seven starts for the North Siders.
Padres at Rockies: The Padres are rocking and rolling right now, and a win will extend their streak to a season-high nine games. Walker Buehler will take the mound for the Padres, with first pitch set for 8:40 p.m. ET. With a 2 1/2 game lead over the Diamondbacks, the Padres do have some breathing room.
Marlins at Diamondbacks: Arizona will look to take the momentum from Monday night’s walk-off win into Tuesday’s matchup, which is set for 9:40 p.m. ET. A win is crucial: following the series against Miami, the Diamondbacks will welcome the Yankees into town, with AL Cy Young Award front-runner Cam Schlittler expected to pitch in one of the contests.