It took a while, but the Rockies finally won their 42nd game of the season last night, ensuring that the 2024 White Sox will continue to own the record for the most losses in a single season in the modern era of Major League Baseball. Moving forward, I propose that MLB officially declare this day, the day the final team wins their 42nd game of the season, Jerry Reinsdorf day in honor of his not-so-glorious achievement.
Category / Baseball
Back To The Playoffs
For the first time since 2020, the Cubs are heading back to the postseason. They clinched their spot in the playoffs yesterday, defeating the Pirates 8-4. While they are only the third NL team to qualify, they are still five games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and look like they will be the top Wild Card heading into October. If the season ended today, they would host the Padres in the Wild Card series at Wrigley Field.
Still The Worst
With their 4-2 victory over the Padres last night, the Rockies won their 41st game of the season, ensuring that, at worst, they will tie the 2024 White Sox for the most losses in the modern era of Major League Baseball. With two weeks to go in the season, it seems likely that they will win at least one additional game, leaving the 2024 White Sox to stand alone in disgrace.
Hanging Up His Platinum Glove
Former Cub Anthony Rizzo announced his retirement this morning after a fourteen-year career. A three-time All Star, Rizzo spent ten seasons with the Cubs, ranking sixth in franchise history with 242 home runs. He was also a four-time Gold Glove winner, winning Platinum Glove honors in 2016 as the league’s best defender. In 2017, Rizzo was bestowed with the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
Rizzo, originally drafted by the Red Sox when Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer were in their front office, was the duo’s first big acquisition when they reunited in Chicago, acquiring him from the Padres. Beginning the 2012 season in Triple A, he was recalled at the end of June and quickly became a mainstay of the lineup and a crowd favorite. As the Cubs were rebuilding around him, he signed a long-term contract extension in 2013. He cemented his position in Cubs lore by catching the final out of the 2016 World Series, ending the longest championship drought in American professional sports. However, as the Cubs struggled to repeat the team success of that season, Rizzo also struggled in later years, contributing to an offense that has severely regressed since 2016 and was one of the Cubs who refused to get the COVID vaccine, keeping the team below the 85% threshold for the 2021 season. At the trade deadline, he was traded to the Yankees.
After re-signing with the Yankees after the 2021 season, Rizzo spent three injury-marred seasons in New York, culminating in last fall’s World Series loss to the Dodgers. A free agent following the season, he went unsigned and sat out the 2025 season prior to today’s announcement. He will officially retire as a Cub and join the organization as a team ambassador.
Looking Ahead To 2026
Eschewing their traditional day after the All-Star Game release, Major League Baseball released their tentative 2026 schedule on a random Tuesday at the end of August. For the fourth year in a row, MLB is keeping with a balanced schedule, playing 52 games against division opponents, 64 games against non-division opponents in the same league, and 46 interleague games, with series against every team in the opposite league. With a young and improving White Sox team already looking ahead to next year and the Cubs trying to lock down a Wild Card spot, the 2026 season looks like it could be an interesting one for the city of Chicago. So, for one day, at least, let’s turn our attention to next summer for both teams.
The White Sox open their season on March 26, the earliest North American start in league history, under the dome in Milwaukee against the Brewers, followed by a trip to South Beach to face the Marlins. They open up their home schedule against the Blue Jays on April 2.
Aside from the Brewers and Marlins, the interleague schedule sees the White Sox going on the road to face the Phillies, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, and Padres, while the Pirates, Reds, Dodgers, Braves, Mets, Rockies, and Nationals make their way to Rate Field. The rivalry with their north side foes continues with a three-game weekend series at home Wrigley Field in mid-May followed by a weekday series at Wrigley Field in mid-August.
The White Sox wrap up the 2026 season in September with series against the Twins, Guardians, and Tigers, should it matter. The season ends at home with a three-game series against the Rockies.
On the north side, the Cubs kick off their season at home against the Nationals and the Angels before heading out on the road in early April. Aside from the Angels, the Cubs will host the Twins, A’s, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Tigers, while travelling to visit the Mariners, Orioles, Guardians, Red Sox, and Royals.
Twelve of their 24 games in September are against their NL Central rivals, with six coming against the Brewers, which could make a difference should the Cubs find themselves in contention once again. They end the year with a three-game road trip to Boston to face the Red Sox.
It’s More Than Playoffs, It’s Playoffs Plus
Sitting six games behind the Brewers for the NL Central crown but holding a five and a half game lead for the first Wild Card slot, the Cubs sent out post-season invoices to their season ticket holders yesterday for the first time since 2023. Thanks to a randomly selected combination assignment, I would end up with tickets to two games in each potential round. I would maintain my normal seats through the NLCS but would end up relocated to the right field side should the team advance to the World Series.
Mixing things up a bit, the Cubs are also offering a three-year renewal which will guarantee some access to All-Star week activities in 2027. For my package, that would include the Futures Game on Saturday and either the Home Run Derby or the All-Star Game itself. Going the annual renewal route will give you the opportunity to purchase tickets to those events should any remain.
Barring a complete collapse over the next five weeks, the Cubs seem to be a lock to make the postseason. Getting out of that Wild Card round, where they would face the Padres if the season ended today, might be more difficult.
Reunited And It Feels So Good
The Savannah Bananas came to Rate Field last night for their first ever Chicago appearance. The barnstorming team, playing a “game” called Banana Ball, sang and danced their way through nine innings of mostly uninspired ball while defeating their foes, the Firefighters. Overall, it was two hours of continuous music and tomfoolery that works better as short Tik Tok clips than as a longer presentation. That said, they did bring some excitement for the baseball fans in the house.
Former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski entered the game as a pinch hitter to lead off a mid-game inning. He then came out to catch the following half inning and, after handling the Bananas pitcher, who managed to hit and hurt a batter in what appeared to be a real incident, he was joined in the game by former teammate and fellow 2005 World Series champion Mark Buehrle. Buehrle faced two hitters, giving up a soft single to right before inducing a groundout to end the frame.
Seeing these two take the field together on the south side for the first time since 2011 and, one can only assume, for the final time made the whole night and covered over a lot of the warts inherent in the concept. I can’t see myself attending another one of their shows (they never actually call it a game), but this one left me with warm and fuzzy feelings.
Breaking Barriers
Later today, a woman is scheduled to umpire a regular season major league game for the first time. Jen Pawol, who has been a minor-league umpire since 2016, is being called up for a doubleheader between the Marlins and the Braves, working the bases in place of the home plate umpires, who only work the one game. She is then slated to work behind the plate for Sunday’s series finale.
Pawol, a 48-year-old graduate of Hofstra University, worked spring training games in 2024, becoming the first woman to do so since 2007. She is only the third woman to ever umpire a major-league spring training game. She also became a crew chief in the International League last season.
MLB is behind the times in this area. The NBA had its first female referee debut 28 years ago, while the NFL has had female officials for the past ten years. Hopefully this leads to more opportunities for interested women to find a career in baseball.
The Stars Will Shine At Wrigley In 2027
In a ceremony at Wrigley Field yesterday morning, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the Cubs would host the 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, July 13. Wrigley will become the third stadium to host four All-Star games, having previously hosted in 1947, 1962, and 1990. “This is an honor for our team, our city and our state,” said Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts. “We can’t wait to showcase how we have preserved this iconic ballpark. Wrigley Field means so much to Cubs fans and millions of people who have visited what we believe is a baseball cathedral and one of Illinois’ top tourist destinations.
The very first All-Star Game was held in Chicago at Comiskey Park in 1933, as was the 50th anniversary game in 1983. With just six years separating 2027 and 2033, it would be surprising, but not unprecedented, for Chicago to get the 100th anniversary game.
And That Deadline Was A Bit Of A Dud
The MLB trade deadline has come and gone and neither the Cubs nor the White Sox made the big moves they were expected to make. The Cubs made two late moves, adding utility man Willi Castro from the Twins and reliever Taylor Rogers from the Pirates. The White Sox made a single move, sending Adrian Houser to the Rays.
Castro, 28, is a switch hitter who can play pretty much anywhere. He’s posted a .742 OPS with the Twins this year and will hit free agency at year end. Going back to the Twins are two Double A pitchers: Ryan Gallagher and Sam Armstrong. Rogers, 34, was acquired by the Pirates on Wednesday in the Ke’Bryan Hayes trade before being flipped to the Cubs. His walk rate this year is the highest it has been in his career, but a veteran lefty is always good to have around down the stretch. High A outfielder Ivan Brethowr is headed back to the Pirates. He is 22 and striking out in nearly 30% of his at bats this season.
Houser, 32, joined the White Sox in late May and has had the best stretch of his career. In return, the Rays are sending infielder Curtis Mead, pitcher Duncan Davitt, and pitcher Ben Peoples. Mead, 24, is a former top 100 prospect who has yet to find his way in the big leagues, spending parts of three seasons with the Rays and posting 0.4 career WAR. Davitt, 25, and Peoples, 24, were both in Triple A for the Rays.
Despite those moves, when the bell rang at 5 PM CT yesterday, the Cubs were still lacking a proven starter who can help their beleaguered rotation, and the White Sox still employed Luis Robert, Mike Tauchman, and Aaron Civale. None of which was the expected outcome of the day.