It’s a rematch of the 2005 World Series, plus the 2021 ALDS, in Houston during the 2026 AL Wild Card Round. The Astros, the team with the worst winning percentage among division winners in MLB history, won the AL West and get the chance to host a best-of-three against the White Sox. Chicago sped up a rebuild and now has the chance to secure a matchup with division rival Cleveland in the ALDS.
Scheduled Starters and Start Times
- Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
- Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
- Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
All games are scheduled to air at 5 PM ET/4 PM CT on NBCSN and Peacock. Be mindful that the time for Game 3 could change, depending on what happens in the other series.
A Look at the Offenses
| Stat |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 776 | 734 |
| Home Runs | 211 | 226 |
| OPS | .726 | .732 |
| Whiff% | 27.5% | 25.8% |
| Hard Hit% | 40.1% | 37.4% |
This matchup features two of the better offenses in the Majors. Houston finished 2026 with the league lead in home runs, as well as just outside the top 10 in runs scored. The White Sox, meanwhile, were fifth in the Majors in terms of runs scored.
We noted earlier in the month when the White Sox clinched that this offense has a lot of swing-and-miss. Chicago finished 2026 with the second-highest Whiff%, behind only the Los Angeles Angels.
But there’s a good amount of pop, from the likes of Miguel Vargas, Munetaka Murakami, and Colson Montgomery. Between those three, and the likes of Chase Meidroth and Sam Antonacci, this is a well-constructed offense on paper.
Players like Antonacci and Vargas do well when it comes to getting on base. And make a mistake against either Murakami, Vargas, or Montgomery, something bad can happen for the other team.
The Astros, meanwhile, come in with Yordan Alvarez, the likely 2026 AL MVP, leading the charge offensively. Alvarez can do it all: put the ball in play, walk, or pull one straight to right field and over the wall in Houston. By the way, Alvarez posted a 1.009 OPS in September, just to illustrate how he played before the postseason.
But he’s not the only to watch.
Yainer Diaz had 10 extra-base hits and posted an OPS well above .900 in September. Jeremy Pena hit five home runs. And Isaac Paredes fits that ballpark in Houston so well, too.
A Look at the Pitching
| Stat | | |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 4.60 | 4.81 |
| Relievers’ ERA | 3.70 | 4.08 |
| Strikeouts | 1337 | 1411 |
| Opponents’ AVG | .243 | .237 |
| Chase% | 29.8% | 29.8% |
Well, this is where things get interesting.
Both teams, at least as of this writing, are expected to deploy a bullpen game for Game 1. This is a byproduct of several factors. Hunter Brown tossed 5.1 IP on September 25, putting him in play for either Game 2 or 3. As for the White Sox, the club has routinely used openers this season. Chris Murphy and Sean Newcomb have been among the options used by Will Venable.
While ERA is not the be-all, end-all, both clubs ranked in the bottom five of the Majors in starters’ ERA. That is a wild statistic, to say the least. But for those who’ve followed each club, perhaps that’s not much of a surprise.
Luis Castillo, since his arrival in Chicago, allowed three or more runs in seven of nine outings with the White Sox. He was ultimately more to short relief, making things much more interesting for a young starting pitching group that leaned on the likes of Sean Burke and Davis Martin for much of the year.
As for the Astros, Houston has also dealt with those problems. Peter Lambert had a short day on the 27th, and he was arguably the second-best starter behind Brown.
One thing to note: Josh Hader, the Astros’ closer, is arguably the best reliever in this series.
Our Prediction
This series feels like a toss-up. Chicago does have a team good enough to beat the Astros, a team that had a worse record in the regular season but does have homefield advantage. Plus, records don’t really mean much come the playoffs.
However, this series feels like one set up well for the White Sox. Good offense, can generate runs in several different ways, almost like how the Tigers operated in 2024 and 2025. That 2024 Detroit team ousted the Astros that season.
Check out more of our MLB coverage, including more on the Phillies-Braves series.