How the White Sox have fared against Guardians Game 1 and 2 starting pitchers

The Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros in convincing fashion during the American League Wild Card Series and now turn their attention to a familiar opponent: the division-rival Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series.

Chicago won the regular-season series between the two teams, 7-6, and held a +1 advantage in run differential. However, the White Sox finished one game behind Cleveland in the standings, allowing the Guardians to claim the division title and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Heading into the series, the Guardians have announced rookie left-hander Parker Messick as their Game 1 starter, with right-hander Gavin Williams slated to take the mound in Game 2. The White Sox faced both pitchers four times during the regular season, combining for a 3-4 record in those seven games.

The Chicago White Sox are slated to face Parker Messick and Gavin Williams to open ALDS after both found success against Chicago in 2026

Against Messick this season, the White Sox hit an encouraging four home runs, but they also struck out 29 times in 25.2 innings. Messick largely kept Chicago’s offense in check, posting a 2.85 ERA while pitching at least five innings in each of his outings against them, including two starts of seven or more innings.

Although the season-series numbers against Messick tell a different story, the White Sox were one of the best teams in baseball against left-handed pitching this year, ranking fifth with a .751 OPS. Against right-handers, Chicago posted a .716 OPS.

When Williams took the mound against the White Sox this season, Chicago managed just two home runs while striking out 28 times over 20 innings. Williams posted a 4.02 ERA in those outings and worked beyond the fifth inning just once. Interestingly, the White Sox went 1-3 in the four games Williams pitched against them this year.

That said, one key in this series, especially against Messick, will be for the White Sox to get more runners on base and capitalize on the home-run power that fueled their success during the regular season. If they can do that, one big swing could be enough to shift the momentum in a game, and potentially the series.

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