Updated MLB Playoff Bracket 2026, White Sox vs. Guardians ALDS Odds, Preview

The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians will renew their American League Central rivalry in the ALDS.

The White Sox advanced to the ALDS on Wednesday with a wild-card round sweep over the AL West champion Houston Astros. It marked the first time since the 2005 World Series that the White Sox won a postseason series.

The ALDS will have a similar feel to the September series between the two sides in Cleveland in which the Guardians took two out of three games.

Cleveland, the AL Central champion, is the expected favorite in the matchup against the most inexperienced roster left in the AL bracket.

Chicago didn't display any fear over two games in Houston, and if its bats can remain hot, it will have a chance to keep its unlikely run going.

Money Line: Cleveland (-168; bet $168 to win $100); Chicago White Sox (+142; bet $100 to win $142)

Guardians Will Try To Ride Pitching To Series Win

Cleveland holds the edge in pitching in the matchup with the White Sox.

Gavin Williams, Parker Messick and Foster Griffin give Cleveland a solid trio to start off the series. Tanner Bibee or Joey Cantillo could throw in Game 4.

Williams is the best starting pitcher in the series. He struck out 248 batters in the regular season and he was excellent in September.

Cleveland is 1-3 in Williams' four starts against the White Sox this season. Williams allowed three earned runs or less in all of those defeats.

Williams does have nine or more strikeouts in five of his last nine starts and he's going up against a White Sox lineup that has a propensity to strike out in large numbers.

Messick recorded at least eight strikeouts in three of his four regular-season meetings with the White Sox. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 29.

Griffin, a midseason acquisition from Washington, gave up 30 hits in 18.1 innings in September. He's not as much of a sure thing as Williams and Messick, but he can give Cleveland five or six solid innings in a start.

Williams will likely pitch Games 1 and 5, if the series gets that far. He struck out eight over six innings in his lone postseason start in 2025.

The White Sox do have familiarity with Cleveland's starters, but the Guardians haven't had trouble striking out the White Sox, which is concerning for the lower seed in this matchup.

Cleveland also owns the bullpen advantage with Cade Smith headlining that group.

Experience is also on the side of the Guardians, but that won't matter much if they don't win games against a team with a lineup in good form.

The White Sox at least have offensive momentum on their side entering the ALDS.

The Chicago lineup tore through the Houston pitching staff for 13 runs over the two games in the wild-card round.

That was an extension of a red-hot final week of the regular season in which the White Sox scored 41 runs.

If you go back further to the Detroit series that began on September 18, the White Sox have 73 runs in their last 11 games.

The White Sox did score 16 runs in their last series against Cleveland, so there has to be a bit of confidence going into Ohio for Games 1 and 2 that they can hit.

Most of the Chicago lineup worked its way on base in the two games against Houston. It didn't rely on big hits from one player to carry it through that series.

Of course, Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas have to show up, but keep an eye on the bottom third of the White Sox order.

Chase Meidroth had a pair of multi-hit games and a three-run home in Game 2, Braden Montgomery had two hits in Game 1 and Colson Montgomery homered in the opener in Houston.

If the success continues from the 7, 8 and 9 spots in the order, the White Sox might have the right formula to spring an upset, or at least push the series to five games.