Ranking the White Sox Greatest Rivals
A ranking of the Chicago White Sox top-ten all time rivals, including but not limited to the Twins, Tigers, Cubs, Brewers, and ESPN.
As a new baseball season is getting ever closer, it is time to acknowledge the greatest rivals the White Sox have heading into the season. We hope the team will be competitive enough to create new rivals, as well as igniting old ones.
In the meantime, here is a list of the White Sox greatest rivals in franchise history, considering both the historical record and the events of the past 25 years. The teams are listed from the greatest rivalry to the weakest.
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Minnesota Twins – The Minnesota Twins are the only team the White Sox have been in the same division as dating all the way back to 1961, and if you include their history in Washington DC, this dates all the way back to 1901. No other team can say this, as the Twins have gone along with the White Sox from the original American League to the AL West to the AL Central.
Playing with one team that long can cause things to get testy, as they did during the 2000’s when both teams were consistently competing for first place, including the blackout game of 2008, which the White Sox won to give them the division title. While the two teams haven’t been the same as of late, animosity between the two still exists. Including their time in DC, the Twins and Sox have an equal number of American League Pennants (6) and World Series titles (3).
Chicago Cubs – Well this goes without saying. I do think the White Sox greatest rival should be a team that is actually in the same division/league as them, as they actually play each other a lot and the games matter more. Inner-city rivalries of course still do matter a lot. The White Sox have the all-time series lead over the Cubs (60-58), and defeated them in the 1906 world series (4-2).
Detroit Tigers – Chicago has a lot of good rivalries with Detroit teams, and this is one of them. Both are charter franchises of the AL, and the Tigers lead the White Sox in World Series titles (4-3) as well as AL Central division titles (4-3). Here’s hoping the Sox can tie them in both of those categories sooner or later.
Cleveland Indians – This one has great potential but hasn’t been relevant for the standings since the 2005 season. The teams are still close in proximity and a general animosity definitely still exists. If the White Sox get good soon, they could re-ignite the rivalry before the Indians window closes.
Kansas City Royals – In many ways the Royals are kind of their own rival, but they have been fighting with the White Sox recently, making them one of the Sox better rivals as of late. The Royals have always given the White Sox a bit of trouble, and that may continue now that the Sox longer have Matt Davidson to torment their pitchers with.
New York Yankees – Almost every AL team could say they are a rival of the Yankees in some way, especially in the AL East and Central, it’s what happens when you make the playoffs each year. I still think it’s relevant to include the White Sox given the New York-Chicago rivalry, as well as the history of the two teams.
The White Sox battled and competed with the Yankees as early as 1920, and regularly competed for the pennant in the 1950s and 1960s, at a time when New York City was no.1 in population size and Chicago was no.2, the AL Standings often went the same way.
Boston Red Sox – we were the Sox before they were! ESPN’s favorite team was annoyed when the White Sox stole their thunder in 2005 by preventing them from repeating as champs and breaking our own curse instead, so they try to pretend that it never happened.
Milwaukee Brewers – This one had great potential but was unfortunately killed by Bud Selig when they were moved to the National League. If they had stayed in the same division, the Brewers might be the White Sox top rival, especially given how close in proximity the two teams are.
Houston Astros – The Latest team the Sox have played in the World Series. Despite their recent run of success, many still remember the 2005 World Series, and we get to relive it every time the Sox play them.
ESPN – one day they will acknowledge us.