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The Chicago White Sox are in the thick of the playoff race, holding a 3.0-game advantage over the Houston Astros for the third and final Wild Card spot while sitting 1.0 game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the AL Central lead. While capturing the division would be ideal—likely securing a first-round bye—the White Sox would be content with simply reaching the postseason after several lean years prior to 2026.
However, if they do punch their ticket, a significant problem looms: their starting rotation.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel recently ranked the White Sox rotation as the worst among this year's postseason contenders, placing them 15th out of 15 teams. It's a harsh assessment, but one that is fully justified.
Key Analysis
McDaniel's ranking places the White Sox behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres, at the very bottom of the list. He notes that due to the rotation's shortcomings, the team might "need to rely on their pen, which has the seventh-best bullpen ERA in baseball, in the postseason."
Sean Burke and Davis Martin currently front the rotation as the No. 1 and No. 2 starters, but neither profiles as a true ace. Anthony Kay has posted a 4.41 ERA and has been unremarkable. Erick Fedde owns a 3.90 ERA but isn't someone to trust in October. David Sandlin's 6.29 ERA makes him a starter the White Sox will surely avoid if possible. Luis Castillo has been a major disappointment since arriving from the Seattle Mariners. Young arms Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz are intriguing, but neither can be counted on for lengthy outings.
Burke is the most reliable option in the group, yet he's not a pitcher the White Sox should feel confident about against baseball's elite teams. He'd be better suited as a No. 3 starter rather than the ace they need him to be.
While the White Sox have struggled in the second half of the 2026 season, and issues with the offense and an overworked bullpen could cut their playoff run short, the shaky starting rotation may ultimately be their undoing in October.
It's an unfortunate reality, but White Sox fans should temper their expectations. The last-ranked starting rotation among postseason contenders is likely to be the fatal flaw as the team attempts to make a deep run this year.
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Originally reported by yahoo.