Update (2:07 p.m. ET, Wednesday): The White Sox have confirmed their starting lineup for Game 2, with Sam Antonacci leading off in left field and Munetaka Murakami sliding to first base while Kyle Teel starts behind the plate.
The Chicago White Sox can end Houston’s season Wednesday. Chicago leads the best-of-three AL Wild Card Series 1-0 after a 6-3 win in Game 1, and a victory in Game 2 at Daikin Park sends the White Sox to the ALDS while eliminating the Astros.
Houston became the first team in a full season to make the playoffs with a non-winning record, needing a season-ending division title over Texas to finish 81-81. Chicago’s turnaround is just as improbable. The White Sox lost 100-plus games in each of the previous three seasons, dropping 121 in 2024, before jumping to 84-78 under manager Will Venable to grab the final AL wild card.
White Sox at Astros game information
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 30
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas
- TV/Streaming: Peacock, NBCSN, ERADM
- Series: ALWC – Game 2, White Sox lead 1-0
White Sox outlook
Chicago is 7-3 with a .271 batting average over its last 10 games, having outscored opponents by 23 runs. Antonacci leads the order followed by catcher Kyle Teel, third baseman Miguel Vargas and first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Andrew Benintendi bats fifth as the designated hitter, with Tristan Peters in center, Chase Meidroth at second base, Braden Montgomery in right and Colson Montgomery at shortstop rounding out the order. Second baseman Chase Meidroth has delivered two home runs and eight RBIs over his last 10 games, per Yahoo Sports.
Sean Burke is the probable starter for Chicago, going 11-7 with a 3.34 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in the regular season. Manager Will Venable said Burke will “at the very least” pitch in a significant role Wednesday, according to MLB.com.
Luis Castillo is on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder pinched nerve, and Joey Bart is on the 10-day IL with a left hand fracture. Jake Rogers was available after his time away and selected as the club’s backup catcher for the series, per MLB.com. Kyle Teel starts Game 2 behind the plate.
Astros outlook
Houston is 4-6 over its last 10 games with a 3.64 ERA, though it still outscored opponents by 15 runs. Yordan Alvarez is the engine of the lineup and the AL MVP favorite, having won the batting title at .316 with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs. Jose Altuve went 13 for 42 with a homer and six RBIs over his last 10 games.
Hunter Brown is the probable starter for Houston, posting a 6-4 record with a 3.19 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 124 strikeouts in the regular season. The Astros have Daulton Varsho (left wrist inflammation) and Brice Matthews (left knee inflammation) on the 10-day IL, Steven Okert (right hamstring strain) on the 15-day IL, Mike Burrows on the 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation, and Ethan Pecko day-to-day with left hip soreness.
Key matchup
Burke’s strikeout rate will test Houston after Tuesday’s 6-3 Game 1 loss. Brown’s ground-ball approach gives Houston a chance to keep the ball out of the air against Chicago’s power, but injuries to Okert and Burrows have stretched the bullpen. If Brown cannot work deep into the game, Houston will have to lean on relievers who already logged heavy innings during the season’s final stretch. With Sam Antonacci now confirmed atop Chicago’s order instead of a more traditional leadoff bat, Brown will see an unfamiliar look from the first pitch.
Players to watch
Munetaka Murakami, 1B, Chicago
The rookie slugger hit 35 home runs and posted the second-highest strikeout and walk rates among qualified hitters. Now confirmed to bat cleanup and play first base for Game 2, his opposite-field power threatens the Astros at Daikin Park.
Yordan Alvarez, DH, Houston
Houston’s season stays alive only if Alvarez carries the offense. He won the AL batting title and has 42 home runs and 106 RBIs, and must deliver immediately to prevent a series sweep.
What to watch
A White Sox win Wednesday sends Chicago to the ALDS for the first time since 2021. A loss forces a decisive Game 3. The Astros are trying to avoid a second straight early playoff exit after being swept by Detroit in the 2024 Wild Card Series. Chicago’s confirmed lineup shift, with Antonacci leading off and Murakami moving to first, gives Venable a different look than Game 1 as the White Sox try to close it out.
First pitch for Wednesday’s Game 2 is set for 5 p.m. ET at Daikin Park, with the series shifting to a possible Game 3 if the Astros force it.
Reporting from ESPN, Yahoo Sports, MLB.com and Chicagotribune contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).
