White Sox-Guardians AL Division Series Game 1 FAQ (Sat., 1 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV/HBO Max)

Thirteen games across four nail-biting series weren’t enough. The Guardians and White Sox will meet again, and the stakes are higher than ever.

The White Sox beat the Astros, 7-3, in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday, to advance to the best-of-five Division Series for an all-AL Central matchup with the Guardians. Game 1 is set for Saturday at Progressive Field.

The Guardians and White Sox duked it out for the Central crown this summer. Chicago held at least a share of first place for 96 days, and Cleveland for 89 days. The Guardians assumed first place by winning a three-game series over the White Sox from Sept. 14-16 at Progressive Field, and held on in a race settled by the thinnest of margins.

The Guardians finished 85-77, and the White Sox 84-78. Chicago won the head-to-head season series, 7-6, while outscoring the Guardians 58-57. Eleven games were decided by three runs. Seven games were decided by one. There were four walk-offs.

“Obviously we know Chicago really well,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve played them a lot. [There were] a lot of close games. A really good team offensively. They've got a lot of power and they match up really well with us pitching-wise.

“They’ve got a lot of lefties in the bullpen, and their starters have thrown pretty well against us as well. … It's a very, very good team.”

When is the game and how can I tune in?

First pitch for Game 1 of the White Sox-Guardians Division Series is set for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday at Progressive Field. The game will be broadcast on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.

The ALDS will be available in Spanish on UniMas, while Univision’s TUDN Radio will provide Spanish language audio coverage. ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2026 MLB Postseason games, beginning with the Wild Card Series.

Who are the starting pitchers?

White Sox: TBD
Key stats: Davis Martin appeared in three games and made two starts against the Guardians this season, posting a 3.72 ERA over 9 2/3 innings. Martin, one of the best starters during the first two months of the season, struck out one and walked seven vs. Cleveland.

During Chicago's postgame celebration at Daikin Park on Wednesday, White Sox manager Will Venable said the Game 1 starter had yet to be decided.

Candidates Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde both pitched in Wednesday’s victory. Martin makes sense as the next man up in the rotation, but don’t rule out a bullpen game or some form of it. The White Sox used an opener 31 times this season, most in the Majors.

Guardians: TBD
Key stats: In four starts apiece against Chicago, Parker Messick had a 2.81 ERA with 29 strikeouts and five walks in 25 2/3 innings, and Gavin Williams had a 3.98 ERA with 28 strikeouts and eight walks in 20 1/3 innings.

Vogt said Wednesday the Guardians have not finalized their pitching plans for the ALDS but expected to do so in the next day or two. It’s primed to be Messick or Williams in some order in Games 1 and 2, as they were Cleveland’s staff anchors this season. Messick (who would be making his postseason debut) was an All-Star who emerged as a contender for AL Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award. Williams (who pitched Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series in 2025) led the AL in strikeouts (248) while setting career highs in starts (32) and innings pitched (184 1/3) this season.

What do the starting lineups look like?

White Sox: Look for Randal Grichuk to be at DH if Messick is on the mound. Chicago has leaned on a right-handed-hitting lineup for much of the season when it faces lefty pitching.

1. Sam Antonacci, LF
2. Kyle Teel, C
3. Munetaka Murakami, 1B
4. Miguel Vargas, 3B
5. Andrew Benintendi, DH
6. Chase Meidroth, 2B
7. Colson Montgomery, SS
8. Tristan Peters, CF
9. Braden Montgomery, RF

Guardians: This projection has a few tentative aspects. If Messick is on the mound, Austin Hedges will catch. If Williams starts, Patrick Bailey will be behind the plate. Those were the typical batteries this season. Additionally, Jo Adell could start in right field with Chase DeLauter at DH, and Cleveland could consider starting a right-handed bat like David Fry at first base if the White Sox starter is left-handed.

1. Steven Kwan, CF
2. José Ramírez, 3B
3. Chase DeLauter, RF
4. Jo Adell, DH
5. Travis Bazzana, 2B
6. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B
7. Angel Martínez, LF
8. Austin Hedges, C
9. Brayan Rocchio, SS

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

White Sox: Grant Taylor threw a career-high 54 pitches in Tuesday’s victory and was not available Wednesday, but he should be fine to close out potential victories in Cleveland. Chicago has a top-notch bullpen, including young hurlers such as Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz, but the order they'll appear will depend on who's starting.

Guardians: It’s all about getting the ball to All-Star closer Cade Smith, who had a 1.95 ERA over 69 appearances and finished tied for the MLB lead in saves with 41. If Cleveland’s starter completes six innings with the Guardians in the lead, lefties Erik Sabrowski and Tim Herrin and right-hander Hunter Gaddis are the primary candidates to bridge the game to Smith. If healthy, Colin Holderman is a potential X-factor after he emerged as a dependable “fireman” in high-leverage spots in the middle-to-late innings this season.

Any injuries of note?

White Sox: None to report

Guardians: Holderman (right wrist inflammation) and Rhys Hoskins (lower back inflammation) have been working out with the Guardians this week after finishing the regular season on the injured list, and their availability for the ALDS was a question mark as of Wednesday. Holderman went on the 15-day IL on Sept. 4 and exited his lone rehab appearance on Sept. 17 with Triple-A Columbus after his wrist issue resurfaced. He received an injection on Sept. 19 to try to resolve the issue. Hoskins spent the final five weeks of the regular season on the 10-day IL after landing there on Aug. 19. If he’s ready to go, he’s a potential right-handed complement to Lowe at first base.

Who is hot and who is not?

White Sox: Chicago was one of baseball’s best stories this season. But the White Sox played arguably their best baseball against the Astros while sweeping the Wild Card Series. Everyone contributed to the victory.

“Any time you win, it’s a good game,” said Meidroth, who hit a three-run home run on Wednesday. “We are looking to keep it rolling and see what we can do in Cleveland.”

Guardians: Kwan led the Majors in batting average (.353) after the All-Star break. In September, Bazzana hit .280 with six home runs and a .978 OPS over 23 games, and Martínez hit .296 with five home runs and a .953 OPS over 20 games. Over his final 13 appearances, Smith threw 15 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and three walks with 25 strikeouts. Williams had a 2.54 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 12 walks in 28 1/3 innings over five September starts.

Anything else fans might want to know?

• This is the first postseason matchup between Chicago and Cleveland, which joined the White Sox in the AL Central division in 1994.

• The Guardians were 5 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the Central entering play on Aug. 20. Cleveland went 24-11 to end the regular season, which was the second-best record in MLB over that span, behind Milwaukee (25-10). Chicago went 18-18.