After three of MLB's four division series crowned a winner on Wednesday, the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox have the spotlight all to themselves tonight as they play Game 4 of the ALDS in Chicago.
The Guardians remained alive yesterday with a 9-6 victory that ended the White Sox's four-game postseason winning streak. However, they'll need to repeat that result to get the series back home to Cleveland for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday night.
The eventual winner gets to face the Tampa Bay Rays for a spot in the World Series.
So what can we expect from these AL Central division rivals?
Expect a parade of pitchers in Game 4
The pitching matchup will be a repeat of Game 1, with a pair of rookie left-handers on the mound: Parker Messick for the Guardians and Hagen Smith
for the White Sox.
Neither starter lasted very long in the opener, but that may have been partly due to the scheduled off day between Games 1 and 2. The extra day of rest for the bullpens will be a consideration for this game as well with a travel day Friday ahead of a potential Game 5.
Don't expect Smith to last very long as the Chisox opener. He was pressed into duty in Game 3 and wound up throwing 21 pitches in ⅔ of an inning. Chicago skipper Will Venable isn't afraid to change pitchers early, so perhaps Smith may only be there to face lefty hitters Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Nate Lowe − if he even gets that far.
With the Guardians facing elimination in Game 3, manager Steven Vogt went though seven different pitchers, including closer Cade Smith for two innings. Expect a similar strategy tonight, especially if Messick runs into any early trouble. Also, Smith threw just 19 pitches to get those final six outs, so he should be available if another save opportunity arises.
Jose Ramirez is alive!!!
For Guardians icon Jose Ramirez, 2026 has been a season to forget. The seven-time All-Star has battled injuries and has missed more games than he has in any season since 2015. He also posted his lowest OPS (.688) in over a decade, hitting just 12 home runs in 125 games.
Entering Game 3 hitless in six at-bats in the series, Ramirez flashed his Silver Slugger form with a double, triple, two RBIs and a stolen base. He also made an outstanding defensive play at third base, snagging a two-out, bases-loaded line drive off the bat of Miguel Vargas to preserve the Guardians' two-run lead.
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ WHAT A PLAY! pic.twitter.com/BtlfAZUjnG
— MLB (@MLB) October 7, 2026
White Sox vs Guardians prediction
Despite the momentum from their Game 3 win, the Guardians still face an uphill climb to win the series.
The pesky White Sox hitters, starting with leadoff man Sam Antonacci and including 2026 All-Stars Miguel Vargas and Munetaka Murakami, will continue to pressure the weakened Guardians pitching staff. If the White Sox get out to an early lead, it may be too difficult for the AL's fifth-worst offense to come back.
Prediction: White Sox 5, Guardians 3
How to watch White Sox vs Guardians
The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians are set to play Game 4 of the ALDS at Rate Field tonight in Chicago.
- Game time: 8 p.m. ET
- TV: TBS/truTV
- Streaming: Sling, HBO Max
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How (and why) to watch White Sox vs Guardians ALDS Game 4 tonight
