Playoffs fever hits Chicago with Cubs and White Sox both postseason bound for only 4th time ever
The Major League Baseball Postseason begins on Tuesday, and anticipation is high across Chicago, with both the Cubs and White Sox making the playoffs in the same year for only the fourth time ever.
The Cubs and White Sox both clinched playoff berths on Friday within two minutes of each other. Right now, both are positioned to play in the Wild Card round, but the White Sox still have a chance to win the American League Central Division title, and a first-round bye.
The last time both teams made the playoffs was the pandemic-shortened season in 2020. Before that it was 2008, and the first time was the 1906 World Series, then the White Sox beat the Cubs 4 games to 2.
The White Sox made history this year with their playoff run, becoming the first team in MLB history to qualify for the postseason after consecutive 100-loss seasons.
Experts explained what's made this season so special for each team.
Al Yellon, managing editor of the sports blog Bleed Cubbie Blue, said, "This has been maybe weirdest Cubs season I've ever experienced."
"You know, two 10-game winning streaks, a 10-game losing streak, basically everybody on the pitching staff getting injured," he said.
Richard Lindberg, an author and historian who has written four books on the White Sox, said battle-hardened Sox fans "always expect the worst to come before the best."
"So, I guess you can say this has been a renaissance year for the White Sox," he said.
There's a lot of baseball left in October, but what are the chances of another World Series matchup for the Cubs and Sox?
"I mean, this city would go crazy, absolutely crazy," Yellon said.
"I mean, that hasn't happened since 1906, and I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon," Lindberg said.
The Cubs are playing three games against the Red Sox to finish the season, and lost the first game of a doubleheader on Friday. The White Sox host the Rockies for three games this weekend. They trail the Guardians by one game in the AL Central, but hold a tiebreaker over Cleveland for the division title if they finish the season with the same record.
