The Chicago White Sox were under .500 at one point last week.
Now, they have a 74-70 record, mostly fueled by their interim manager Miguel Cairo.
Cairo proved to be a success while leading the pale hose.
The White Sox, after a full season of mediocrity, injuries and underperformance, could end up making the playoffs anyway.
They are far from a lock, but they are very much alive.
“The Chicago #Whitesox, who woke up with only a 12.7% chance to win the AL Central, per FanGraphs, blow out the Cleveland #Guardians, 8-2, to stay alive. They are 3 games back (4 in the loss column) with a huge 3-game series next week against the Guardians,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
The Chicago #Whitesox, who woke up with only a 12.7% chance to win the AL Central, per FanGraphs, blow out the Cleveland #Guardians, 8-2, to stay alive. They are 3 games back (4 in the loss column) with a huge 3-game series next week against the Guardians.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 15, 2022
That three-game series against the Guardians will probably decide the AL Central.
A Three-Team Race For First Place And A Spot In The Playoffs
Cleveland is currently up three games and looks like the better team.
The White Sox, however, are surging: they have won seven of their last ten games and are finally looking better.
Chicago ran away with the division last year, in a down season by the Guardians and the Minnesota Twins.
This year, though, they have been worse than expected, and both the Guards and the Twins have been better.
The Twins, additionally, can’t be ruled out in a potential three-way race for the division and a ticket to the postseason.
They are 1.5 games behind the White Sox and 4.5 behind the Guardians, with a little over two weeks to play.
They are not dead yet.
It may not be the strongest division in baseball, but the AL Central certainly presents one of the most exciting races at the moment.
