White Sox lose AL Central to Cleveland, settle for No. 6 seed after 9-6 defeat

Key points

• The White Sox fell 9-6 to the Rockies, with starter Davis Martin exiting after two-thirds of an inning following a first-inning error.
• Cleveland Guardians won the AL Central and the No. 2 seed, earning a bye, while Chicago took the No. 6 wild-card spot.
• Hunter Goodman hit two home runs for the Rockies, including his 40th and 41st of the season, a franchise record for a catcher.
• Manager Will Venable expressed pride in the team's playoff qualification despite losing the division race.
• The White Sox will play the winner of the AL West (Texas or Houston) in a best-of-three series beginning Tuesday.

Background

The White Sox had been in a tight race for the AL Central title, having won 83 games. Earlier in the season, they secured a 3-1 win over the Tigers on September 20, improving their record to 79-76. The team had been competing with Cleveland for the division lead, but the recent losses to the Rockies and the Guardians' win over the Royals ended the race. The White Sox will now face a wild-card opponent, while Cleveland gets a first-round bye.

How outlets are covering it

Sox Machine emphasized the early exit of Davis Martin and the team's inability to overcome a 3-0 deficit, noting his 5.75 ERA over his last 16 games. The Chicago Tribune highlighted the emotional response from manager Will Venable, who expressed pride in the team's playoff qualification despite losing the division. Purple Row focused on the Rockies' team effort and milestones, particularly Hunter Goodman's 40th and 41st home runs, which set a franchise record for a catcher. ESPN's source was unavailable due to a 403 error, so no perspective could be extracted from it.

Why it matters

The loss ends the White Sox's division race but secures their playoff spot. The team will now face a wild-card opponent, while Cleveland gets a first-round bye. The outcome also highlights the Rockies' resilience and the White Sox's ability to compete despite setbacks.

What to watch

The White Sox will play their final regular-season game on Sunday before starting their best-of-three wild-card series on Tuesday against the AL West winner. The Cleveland Guardians will wait for their first-round opponent.