The Cleveland Guardians are set to start a best-of-five series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Whoever wins will earn the right to play in the American League Championship Series.
These two teams are fairly close to each other in terms of talent. They are both young and exciting, but the Guardians have something the White Sox lack: recent postseason experience.
According to Joe Noga of Cleveland.com, having played in recent playoffs gives Cleveland a slight edge because they know what to expect. They have played under the bright lights, they know the atmosphere, and are familiar with what’s at stake.
That’s certainly not insignificant. Experience is often the best teacher, and this goes for every player who was on the roster in recent October experiences such as 2025, 2024, and 2022, and also for the manager, Stephen Vogt.
However, just because the Guardians have more experience in these October battles doesn’t mean the White Sox don’t stand a chance. Noga insists on warning everyone that Cleveland’s edge is not huge.
“We’ve been waiting all week to know who the opponent was and to see how the Guardians reacted to that. You get into the question of who has the edge. Cleveland might have an edge because they’re the three-time division champs. They’ve been in the playoffs, and Chicago’s lost 100 games in the last three years prior to this. And you know, they might not have that experience. But if the Guardians have an edge, it’s not a comfortable one,” Noga said.
The White Sox have had to rebuild since consecutive playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021. They lost at least 100 games in three consecutive years between 2023 and 2025, and they surprisingly made it to October in 2026 after a brilliant roster construction masterclass by baseball head Chris Getz.
No, their players don’t have the postseason resume of some Guardians. However, that makes them hungry and eager to silence the doubters. In any case, what happens in the past stays there: past achievements, as recent as they might be, don’t enter the field or become part of games being played this year.
Where the Guardians do hold an important competitive advantage, however, is in the pitching department. The White Sox’s offense was more productive in the regular season, but Cleveland’s arms are better, more experienced, and have more upside.
NEXT: Graphic Shows Parity Between Guardians And White Sox In 2026
