When it comes to Major League Baseball in Chicago, usually one team is doing well and the other not so much. Or – as we’ve all seen far too often in these parts, both teams really struggle at the same time.
But this year, at least so far, seems a bit of an anomaly. Both the Cubs and White Sox are currently in playoff position, which is something I certainly didn’t see coming. Yeah, I figured the Cubs would be in contention, but the Sox, who had lost 100-plus games in each of the past three seasons (including a ghastly 121 in 2024, a new MLB record)? No way.
Yet here we are in early July, and the Sox have outperformed expectations by a wide margin. Entering this week, they lead the American League Central Division by a game over the Cleveland Guardians.
The Sox have been buoyed by a young, powerful lineup headlined by All-Star third baseman Miguel Vargas, shortstop Colson Montgomery, and rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami, who came over from Japan. All three have at least 20 home runs, and Murakami hasn’t played in multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, although he’s scheduled to return from the disabled list later this week following a rehab assignment.
Second baseman Chase Meidroth and rookie outfielder Braden Montgomery have also made positive contributions, and the Sox just saw another key hitter, catcher Kyle Teel, return from a leg injury. He’s been terrific since he came back and gives the lineup another weapon.
The main concern is pitching. Davis Martin has been consistently good in the rotation this season and Sean Burke is coming on strong, but it seems like they need a veteran arm to stabilize things. Same with the bullpen; there’s really no reliable closer at this point. Seranthony Dominguez was supposed to be the guy, but he’s been inconsistent and has been demoted from the role.
If the Sox can shore up the pitching, I feel they’ll have a realistic chance at securing a playoff spot, whether it’s as a wild-card or AL Central champions. The AL is wide-open this season with no truly dominant team.
However, if I’m Sox general manager Chris Getz, I’m not trading my Grade-A plus prospects to go all-in. This team is not quite at the stage where they can afford to take a big swing at the top pitchers likely to be available, such as the Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, at the trade deadline, which is Aug. 3. But there should be plenty of solid pitchers who can help the South Siders.
On the North Side, the Cubs have the top wild-card spot in the National League entering this week. What makes this remarkable in my opinion is that they’ve been wrecked by injuries all season, especially with the starting pitching staff. Cade Horton is out for the season, and Edward Cabrera and Jameson Tallion are currently on the injured list, although both are expected to return soon.
The bullpen has had it worse, with multiple relievers, including closer Daniel Palencia, out due to assorted injuries. Somehow, the Cubs keep winning, and that’s because their bats have come to life in recent weeks. For example, in the Cubs’ 23-3 rout of the San Diego Padres, July 1, shortstop Dansby Swanson had three home runs, including a grand slam, and eight RBIs. That continued a hot streak which began on June 24 when he drove in 11 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the New York Mets.
Also, center-fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was named to the NL All-Star Team. After a slow start, he’s putting together another good season with a .292 batting average, 19 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 49 RBI.
Like the Sox, the Cubs have to beef up their pitching, both in the rotation and bullpen. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer does have a deep farm system he can employ to get the veteran arms he needs. Unlike his South Side counterpart, Hoyer has all his chips in; he wants to get the Cubs back to the World Series for the first time in 10 years.
These next three months should be a fun time for both Cubs and Sox fans. It’s not too often we have this situation where both teams are contenders, so let’s enjoy the ride. Here’s hoping both sides of town get to experience postseason baseball.