For the first time since 2022, the Chicago White Sox are not among the teams expected to have a major firesale at the MLB Trade Deadline. The White Sox head into Thursday’s off-day with a 33-29 record, good for second place in the AL Central and in possession of a wild card spot in the American League. Though many weren’t expecting the White Sox to be a serious postseason contender this season, they’ve played good baseball so far in the first half and have forced themselves into the mix.

The article goes on to say that if the White Sox remain in contention as the deadline gets closer, they should be one of the more aggressive buyers.

The White Sox have an opportunity they didn’t expect to have in 2026

I’ll be honest, those are not words that I thought I’d read this season. Especially after the team’s 1-5 start where they looked young and undisciplined, it felt like this team still had a long way to go before they’d be taken seriously as a contender. The White Sox have continued to play unexpectedly solid baseball, even improving to 4-2 without rookie superstar Munetaka Murakami. They’re still a very young team with a lot of growing to do, but they’ve firmly placed themselves in the playoff conversation in the American League.

The White Sox have a solid farm system, with several more young players set to arrive in the next couple seasons. Chris Getz has long stated that he’s looking at the long-term future rather than short-term success when making decisions, but perhaps the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season and impending lockout could inspire the White Sox to push a little harder for this year. I’m not suggesting the White Sox trade all of their top prospects for a run this year, but if a controllable talent becomes available, they should consider it, even if it’s going to be pricey. Getz acknowledged the place the White Sox are in and didn’t rule out the possibility of adding to the team earlier this week.

A handful of teams, including the Red Sox, Mets, and Angels, have had tough starts to the season and have players that could be of interest to the White Sox. We’ll see just how serious they are about selling and whether or not the White Sox are interested in buying. Regardless, it’s shaping up to be a much different deadline on the south side than it’s been in recent seasons.

There are still two months to go until baseball’s trade deadline and a lot can happen in that span. The White Sox have a tough upcoming schedule and will need to survive without one of their best hitters in the lineup. If they do, it’ll certainly be time to start taking the White Sox seriously as an AL contender, and the team should act accordingly.

Nothing is guaranteed in professional sports and every postseason run is sacred. If the White Sox have a chance to compete for a World Series in 2026, they’d be silly to not take advantage of it, as long as they keep one eye on the future.