The drought is over
Real talk: the Chicago White Sox just pulled off a series sweep that honestly feels like a fever dream. With a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday, they’ve officially secured their first playoff series victory since they took down the Astros in the 2005 World Series. Under the leadership of second-year skipper Will Venable, the team is headed to Cleveland this Saturday for the AL Division Series.
From zeros to heroes
If you haven’t been tracking their stats, this is lowkey the greatest comeback in baseball history. The Sox are the only team ever to go from back-to-back 100-loss seasons to a postseason berth. They wasted no time on Wednesday, pouncing on Houston for four runs in the first inning alone. Chase Meidroth absolutely ate with a three-run homer in the sixth, his energy off the charts as he rounded the bases.
Houston’s nightmare season
The vibes in Houston were definitely off. The Astros finished their season at 81-81, making them the first team ever to hit the playoffs with a non-winning record. Their home-field advantage? Non-existent. They’ve now dropped nine straight home playoff games. Even AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez couldn't find his groove, tallying only a single in eight at-bats. With manager Joe Espada’s contract expiring and their GM fired last month, the future in Houston is looking a little shaky.
Why it matters
The White Sox are the definition of main character energy right now. Going from a 100-loss team to sweeping a division winner proves that anything can happen in October. For the Astros, this series was a total L, ending their postseason hopes and leaving them with more questions than answers as they head into an uncertain offseason.
