The American League Wild Card series pitted two teams against each other that had reached the postseason via radically different paths.
The Chicago White Sox finished the regular season with an 84-78 record, but their historic transformation was the truly remarkable story. After losing 100 or more games in each of the previous three seasons—including a modern-era record of 121 losses in 2024—they became the first team in Major League Baseball history to qualify for the playoffs following three consecutive 100-loss campaigns. Led by second-year manager Will Venable, a young squad with no prior postseason experience (only Andrew Benintendi had played in the playoffs before) arrived in Houston convinced they had nothing to lose.
The Houston Astros, meanwhile, qualified by winning the American League West with an 81-81 record, becoming the first team in history to reach the postseason without a winning record over a full season. However, they entered the series with a roster decimated by injuries and an eight-game home playoff losing streak dating back to 2023. The team had lost General Manager Dana Brown in August, and the atmosphere at Daikin Park was one of growing frustration..
Game 1: White Sox 6, Astros 3
The series opener began with a tactical decision that would shape the Astros' entire fate: manager Joe Espada opted for a "bullpen game," starting rookie AJ Blubaugh rather than risking his ace, Hunter Brown, on short rest. The White Sox countered with the same strategy, sending another rookie—left-hander Hagen Smith—to the mound.
The difference was stark. While Smith pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, Blubaugh failed to complete the first inning; he walked two batters, and an error by first baseman Christian Walker allowed the White Sox to score early. The Sox took a 3-0 lead after two innings.
Rookie Colson Montgomery hit a solo home run in his postseason debut, and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs to lead Chicago's offense. The White Sox bullpen—utilizing five pitchers—kept the Houston offense, led by MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez, at bay; Alvarez and his teammates could find no answers.
Houston tried to rally in the eighth inning. With runners on first and third and two outs, Jose Altuve reached base on an error by third baseman Miguel Vargas, allowing Jeremy Peña to score and cut the deficit to 6-3. But it was a false hope; the White Sox closer sealed the game without further trouble.
Visibly frustrated, Houston fans booed the team when they fell behind early. The announced attendance was 34,011 in a ballpark with a capacity of 40,963—a clear sign of fan disillusionment. Visibly upset, Astros players publicly criticized the fans after the game.
Game 2: White Sox 7, Astros 3
If Game 1 was a blow, Game 2 was a technical knockout. The Astros handed the ball to their ace, Hunter Brown, who arrived with a dominant track record against Chicago: 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox. On paper, it was the perfect recipe to tie the series.
The reality was brutal. The White Sox scored four runs in the first inning before Brown could record the third out. Houston's defense collapsed: two errors in that opening frame—one by third baseman Nick Allen and another by outfielder Lucas Spence, whose throw home went wild—opened the door for a rally that effectively decided the game before the Astros even had a chance to bat. Left fielder Yordan Alvarez also failed to catch a catchable fly ball, adding fuel to the fire.
Brown was pulled after recording just two outs, having allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk. His perfect record against Chicago was shattered in a single inning.
Houston tried to regroup. Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith, and Jose Altuve hit solo home runs—all off White Sox starter Sean Burke, who still managed to strike out eight batters over four innings—to narrow the gap to 4–3. The pivotal moment came in the fifth inning: the Astros loaded the bases with one out and Yordan Alvarez at the plate. Reliever Anthony Kay fell behind in the count 3–0 but induced a fly ball to left field from Alvarez for the second out. Isaac Paredes walked to load the bases again, but Altuve flied out to right field, ending the threat. It was a golden opportunity that Houston let slip away.
In the sixth inning, Chase Meidroth put the game out of reach. With two runners on base, the White Sox second baseman hit a three-run home run off Bryan Abreu, turning a one-run lead into a final 7-3 score. Meidroth celebrated with a shout from the moment of contact until he crossed home plate—a gesture that captured the energy of a team playing without pressure and with absolute conviction.
Chicago relievers Jordan Hicks and Erick Fedde each pitched two scoreless innings to seal the sweep.
Credits: I used Google Translate.