For a large part of the 2026 season, we've known that the Chicago White Sox would have a fighting chance to win the AL Central, so long as they take care of business against divisional opponents.
That, however, is a lot easier said than done for a team that has lost 100 or more games in three consecutive seasons from 2023-2025 and has a fun, but inexperienced roster at its core.
It hasn't always been perfect for the White Sox this season. Even with the team in first place every day since July 4, there have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, and moments where Chicago's postseason aspirations were very much in doubt.
But time and time again, this team seems to prove the doubters (myself being one of them at times) wrong. They always answer the bell. And they did it again this weekend during the biggest series of their season yet.
The White Sox just went into Comerica Park and swept the Detroit Tigers, giving themselves a comfortable 5.5-game lead in the AL Central. To make matters even better, the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins both dropped their Sunday games, putting both of those teams now 6.0 games back of the White Sox.
A sweep over the Tigers also positions the White Sox well when it comes to a tiebreaker. The season series advantage over Detroit is now 6-3 in the White Sox's favor, meaning they'll just need to win one more game during the four-game series with the Tigers in September in order to clinch a season series victory and guarantee themselves the divisional tiebreaker.
It didn't come easy, either. While most White Sox fans were optimistic heading into Sunday afternoon's series finale, largely due to the fact that right-handed pitcher Sean Burke was taking the mound for the White Sox, it wasn't even Burke who led them to victory.
Burke is unquestionably the White Sox ace at this point, and he's been one of the better pitchers in baseball over the last two months. But it was clear from first pitch on Sunday afternoon that he didn't have his best stuff.
Burke got through just 4.1 innings, surrendering five hits, three walks, and four earned runs. He recorded only two strikeouts and left the White Sox trailing 4-1 early.
That wasn't a recipe for success, not only because it required a comeback effort, but also because the White Sox have a very taxed bullpen and would have some of their key relief pitchers unavailable for Sunday's game. Not only did Chicago need to come back, but they needed to hold the Tigers at bay in the process.
White Sox Get Comeback Win To Complete Sweep
As they've done all season, the White Sox overcame adversity.
A two-run home run by catcher Drew Romo put the White Sox right back in the game at 4-3. A Colson Montgomery RBI single tied the game. And in the top of the seventh, Munetaka Murakami got one off Tyler Holton, hitting his 28th home run of the season to put Chicago on top, 6-4.
MUNETAKA MURAKAMI 2-RUN HOMER FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/gTiwIYeP4i
— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2026
Both Hagen Smith and Sean Newcomb did a tremendous job out of the bullpen, getting the White Sox into the ninth inning with the lead. Miguel Vargas then found a home run of his own, keeping pace with Murakami for the team lead with his 28th and adding an important insurance run.
From there, the White Sox had the game won, improving to 65-58 on the season and sticking a dagger straight through the hearts of Tigers fans.
Even with the series sweep and a nice-looking lead in the division, the White Sox have more business to take care of, and it's not going to get any easier. They'll head back to Chicago for part two of the Crosstown Classic against the Chicago Cubs, beginning on Monday night.
The Cubs are another team that has played good baseball as of late, and it's a series that should have plenty of intensity. The White Sox are in no position to take their foot off the gas.
It's hard to give the team enough props for the guts they showed in Detroit this weekend. They found different ways to win each game. The offense came through with big home runs and timely hitting. The starting pitching wasn't great, and the bullpen picked them up. Players who have recently struggled, like Drew Romo and Tristan Peters, came through with big hits in the biggest of moments. It was the kind of series that allows the cream to rise to the top. Playoff teams find a way to win those games. And that team chemistry and resilience has been the difference between the White Sox and the rest of the AL Central so far in 2026.
It's a well-earned sweep, and it couldn't have come at a bigger time.