All three other clashes in the division series, with only the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians vying for the fourth and final spot in the championship series. It looked like the White Sox were in control of the series, winning two games at Progressive Field to set themselves up for a potential sweep heading back home, but the Guardians fought back and gave their division rival a dose of their own medicine — setting up a Game 5 on Saturday night.
Homefield advantage has been a mirage thus far through the first four games of the series. The White Sox will be hoping for a continuation of that trend, while the Guardians will be hoping to put an end to that to advance to the ALCS to set up a matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays.
All that the managers for both teams could do is laugh about their predicament, with the Guardians and White Sox set to go at it one last time in 2026.
“There's been a couple of times that Vogter and I have just looked at each other and laughed because this is just how it goes with these two clubs,” White Sox manager Will Venable said, via MLB. “And I think it's a special thing.”
Article Continues Below“If you look at just the story of the battle that we've had with these guys throughout this season coming down to that last weekend for the division and then here we are with a Game 5 for a chance to go to the CS, I think it's fitting two really good clubs that are both just very competitive, really talented, and the heart and soul of the club and identity of the club comes through, and I think it's been cool to watch that play out in competition throughout the year.”
Indeed, the White Sox and Guardians' competition for the AL Central crown went down to the wire. None of that matters now. It all comes down to one game to decide which of these two teams will go on further in their quest to win a World Series title.