The Chicago Cubs have been an MLB franchise for 150 years, and the White Sox aren’t too far behind. As two of MLB’s oldest franchises, you’d think it wouldn’t be a notable feat when both teams make the postseason in the same year. Unfortunately, fortune hasn’t historically favored Chicago baseball, and 2026 became just the fourth time in MLB history that both the Cubs and White Sox made the postseason in the same season, and the third if you exclude the shortened 2020 season. But with two ultra-talented teams and young stars on both sides of the city, fans are hoping we’re just at the beginning of the Golden Era in Chicago Baseball.
This past week, stars from both teams were spotted hanging out at the Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field. Pete Crow-Armstrong, MLB superstar and the likely NL MVP for 2026, took a pregame photo with White Sox breakout second baseman Chase Meidroth. Meidroth isn’t a star at the level of PCA, but he’s become a very good player in his own right, and he has a reasonable chance to take home both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award this season.
Crosstown rivals PCA and Chase Meidroth linked up 🤝 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wxSg3X6OMm
— Kalshi Baseball (@KalshiBSB) October 26, 2026
When it comes to premiere rivalries in baseball, I wouldn’t exactly put the Cubs and White Sox at the top of the list. As opposed to something like Red Sox-Yankees, who compete in the same division and play each other 13 times a year, the Cubs and White Sox have little effect on each other’s playoff chances. The two teams play in separate leagues and the only chance of there ever being a playoff series between the two under the current league structure is a meeting in the World Series (which did happen back in 1906). When thinking of the White Sox rivals, the Guardians, Twins, Tigers, and Royals all come to mind, but typically the Cubs don’t.
Baseball in Chicago is better when both the Cubs and Sox are good
I was raised in an anti-Cubs household in the north suburbs, so I’m used to being one of the only Sox fans in a room full of Cub fans, and my inclination was always to root against the Cubs. But as I’ve gotten older, the rivalry has lost some steam. Maybe it’s because I don’t live in the Chicago area anymore, so I don’t encounter as many Cub fans on a daily basis. Maybe it’s because both teams have had their struggles and it’s rare that they’ve been relevant at the same time. Maybe it’s because there are far more annoying teams that I’ve grown to hate more (Yes, I’m embarrassed at myself for rooting for Cleveland in the 2016 World Series). But whatever the reason may be, my hatred for the Cubs is far less than it used to be. And seeing the players from both teams hanging out off the field makes me more okay with that.
I’m not saying I’m going to actively root for the Cubs, nor do I really love the “as long as they’re not playing the White Sox” mentality. These teams are still rivals, and both of them being good will only make the rivalry more intense, but as a fan of the team that is often forgotten when Chicago sports are discussed, seeing a White Sox player hanging with the stars is a great development. The White Sox have received a lot of attention this season both inside and outside Chicago, and I hope it’s only the beginning of them becoming a force in the city. The Cubs being good as well is great for the city and the sport.
The White Sox and Cubs should both be contending teams again in 2027, and that’s huge for the game of baseball in Chicago. Whether the star players on the Cubs and White Sox are friends, rivals, or anything in between, baseball is better when both teams are relevant. Let’s hope the Golden Era of Chicago baseball is just beginning.
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