The Chicago White Sox spent most of the summer proving this season wasn't some fluke. Now, with 10 games remaining, they're in danger of watching all of that work disappear in less than two weeks.
A 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday knocked Chicago out of first place in the AL Central. For the first time since early July, the White Sox are the team doing the chasing.
White Sox finally lose their grip on first place
Wednesday wasn't just another September loss.
Chicago entered its three-game series in Cleveland with an opportunity to create some breathing room in the division. Instead, the Guardians took two of three and walked away with a half-game lead.
The White Sox are 77-75. Cleveland is 78-75.
Chicago has also lost seven of its last nine games and is just 5-10 in September. A team that spent much of the season playing loose suddenly looks like one feeling the weight of a pennant race.
The most concerning part is how they're losing.
Chicago went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position Wednesday. Over the last nine games, the White Sox are just 14-for-72 in those situations.
The bullpen hasn't been immune, either. Sean Newcomb, one of Chicago's most reliable relievers this season, has now allowed runs in five of his last six appearances.
A slump in May is annoying. The same problems with 10 games left can end a season.
Chicago still controls part of its postseason fate
There is at least one reason White Sox fans shouldn't panic quite yet.
Chicago secured the season-series tiebreaker against Cleveland with Monday's 7-3 win. If the teams finish with identical records, that could become enormous.
The schedule isn't exactly terrifying, either.
Chicago returns home for four games against Detroit before finishing the season with three against Minnesota and three against Kansas City. The opportunity to recover is sitting there.
But the White Sox have to take advantage of it.
That's what makes this recent slide so frustrating. Nobody expected this team to be fighting for an AL Central title when the season began. Once the White Sox put themselves in this position, expectations changed.
Getting this close only to fall apart in the final weeks would be a brutal ending.
The White Sox don't need to spend the next 10 games scoreboard watching and hoping Cleveland bails them out. They need to start playing like the team that held first place for more than two months.
There's still time.
Just not much of it.
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