The possibility of the White Sox making it to the playoffs this season is almost gone. From a mathematical point of view, the odds are incredibly thin because they rank 4th in the AL Central Division and 13th in the American League.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Chicago White Sox is a Major League Baseball (MLB) team with a long and proud history, having been established in 1901.
The team has won several World Series titles, the most recent one in 2005.
Since 1991, the White Sox have been playing their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field, which was previously known as U.S. Cellular Field and Comiskey Park. The team is known for their black and white uniforms and are often referred to as The South Siders.
The White Sox compete in the American League Central Division, along with the Twins, Guardians, Tigers, and Royals.
Currently, the Minnesota Twins are at the top of the AL Central Division standings, followed by the Guardians. The Royals are at the bottom, and the White Sox are one place above them, in 4th place out of 5 teams.
In the overall American League standings, the White Sox are the third lowest. The Royals and the Athletics are already out of the running for the playoffs via the wild card.
The White Sox are just above them and have a very weak chance of making it to the playoffs, with only a few games left in the season for a surprise turnaround.
Are The White Sox Out Of The Playoffs 2023?
The White Sox are barely holding on to the hope of reaching the playoffs this year, as they are dangerously close to being eliminated altogether.
They kicked off the 2023 season on a high note, securing a 3-2 victory against the Houston Astros at home on March 31, 2023.
Unfortunately, that winning momentum did not last, as they managed to secure only 54 victories out of the 140 games played so far, suffering a staggering 86 losses.
This season has been particularly disappointing for the White Sox, as evidenced by their .386 winning percentage.
This not only prevented them from climbing to the top of the division league but also drastically reduced their chances of entering the wild card series.
In fact, only four teams this season have a winning percentage below .400, and the White Sox are among them.
Their performance has been lackluster both at home and on the road. Out of the 68 home games, they emerged victorious in only 28 and faced defeat in 40.
Their away performance is even more disheartening, with 46 losses and only 26 wins. In the 22 remaining games, 9 will be played away, and 13 will take place at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Securing a spot in the playoffs can be achieved in two ways. Firstly, by winning the division league that the club participates in.
This guarantees the top three division teams a direct entry into the playoffs in each league. The other method is through the wild card, which gives an opportunity to three other clubs in each league.
In the American League Central Division, the Minnesota Twins are almost certain to secure the top spot, with a 97.7% chance. This means they are highly likely to directly qualify for the playoffs.
On the other hand, the Guardians and the Tigers have minimal chances of entering the wild card series from the Central Division, with only 2.2% and 0.1% chances, respectively.
Therefore, it seems almost impossible for the White Sox, who are currently in fourth place, to realize their playoff dreams this season.
Last Time The White Sox Made Playoffs
The last time the White Sox participated in the playoffs was during the 2021 series, unfortunately, they were defeated in the American League Division Series.
Over their 123 years in Major League Baseball (MLB), they have been part of 11 postseasons.
In the entire history of the club, the White Sox have secured three World Series titles and seven American League Pennants.
They have reached the World Series final on five occasions and emerged victorious in three of those instances.
Here is the list of it as mentioned below:
- In 1906, the White Sox defeated the Cubs with a score of 4-2.
- In 1917, the White Sox emerged victorious against the New York Giants, also with a score of 4-2.
- In 1919, the White Sox were defeated by the Cincinnati Reds, losing 3-5.
- In 1959, the White Sox suffered a loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending with a score of 2-4.
- Lastly, in 2005, the White Sox triumphed over the Houston Astros with a sweeping victory of 4-0.
In 2005, the White Sox were the champions of the World Series, ending an 88-year drought. Since that victory, however, they haven’t managed to make it to the World Series again.
In the 17 years that followed 2005, they only made it to the playoffs three times, unfortunately losing each time without progressing any further.
The most recent playoff schedule for the White Sox was against the Houston Astros, which took place from October 7 to October 12, 2021.
Despite their efforts, they were defeated in the series with a 3-1 loss, thereby missing out on the opportunity to secure the American League Division Series title for the first time since 2005.
The White Sox Magic Number 2023
The White Sox are currently 42 games away from clinching the AL Central Division. Meanwhile, the Twins, who are leading the division, only need to win 17 more games to secure their spot.
The American League Central Division has several teams, each with their own magic numbers:
- Minnesota Twins – 17.
- Cleveland Guardians-29.
- Detroit Tigers-32.
- Chicago White Sox- 42.
- Kansas City Royals- 52.
The Minnesota Twins are nearing the playoffs, leading their division. The White Sox’s magic number, 42, means they can’t lead the American League Central Division this season, eliminating their playoff chances as they are 23 games behind the wildcard.
Also, the White Sox’s elimination magic number is 4, nearing zero. The Orioles’ is 36, and the Twins’ is 28.
A higher elimination magic number means a higher chance of making the playoffs, so the White Sox are likely to be eliminated from playoff contention.
Although fans hope for miracles while there is still mathematical probability, miracles won’t be enough for the White Sox to make the playoffs this season.
White Sox fans may have to wait for next season, as this one has been disappointingly unexpected.