White Sox get swept and robbed by Cleveland Guardians defensive web gems

All good things must come to an end. That was the case with the Chicago White Sox and their recent stretch of winning baseball.

The Sox went 9-2 from August 31-September 11. They were the best team in baseball during that period, but over the weekend, playing in Cleveland got the better of them once again.

Progressive Field always seems to give the White Sox issues. Since the start of the 2024 season, the White Sox are 2–10 in Cleveland. They dropped all six games there this year after another sweep this weekend.

It was all capped off by a frustrating game on Sunday afternoon. Run-saving web gems by Guardians defenders robbed the White Sox of multiple hits, runs, and the win. Chicago lost by a final score of 3–2.

Guardians defense robs the White Sox

Mike Tauchman led off the ball game with a 100 mph line shot up the middle. It was miraculously nabbed by shortstop Gabriel Arias, who was shifted towards centerfield. Tauchman was robbed of a leadoff single, which set the tone for the rest of the game.

With Colson Montgomery on second base and two outs in the second inning, outfielder Will Robertson stepped up to the plate looking to drive in the first run of the afternoon.

Robertson launched a ball that traveled 367 feet at 102 mph off the bat. While it had an expected batting average of .620 and would have been a home run at Wrigley Field (per Baseball Savant), Progressive Field held it in and left fielder Steven Kwan made a jumping catch up against the wall.

That catch robbed Robertson of an RBI double and kept the White Sox off the scoreboard.

Fast-forward to the top of the ninth inning. The White Sox trailed 3-2, but had a rally going against Guardians reliever Cade Smith. Singles by Lenyn Sosa and Miguel Vargas put runners on the corners with two outs for Andrew Benintendi.

Benintendi hit a ground ball that perfectly beat the shift, splitting defenders up the middle. Cleveland second baseman Brayan Rocchio had to leave his feet, made a diving stop, and quickly whipped around with a throw that beat Benintendi by half a step.

After the game, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt called it “one of the best defensive plays" he's seen. "Especially given the magnitude, situation, and how fast he caught that"..."It was one of the best plays in the moment," said Vogt.

The White Sox always have issues in Cleveland

It feels like something always goes wrong for the White Sox in Cleveland. This weekend was no different, even with Chicago playing great baseball as of late. The Guardians just have their number.

Cleveland exposes everything that the White Sox lack. It is an organization that does the little things well. They have great pitching and play great defense. Even in a down year like 2025, they find a way to scratch and claw to be competitive.

The Guardians looked dead at the trade deadline, but they’re 9-1 over their last 10 games and are now sitting at 78-71 overall. That leaves them just 2.5 games back from a wild card spot.

The White Sox should look to replicate the culture that the Guardians have. Pitching and defense can take you a long way, and if you have the high upside position players of the White Sox, you can truly become a championship contender.

A weekend sweep really stings for White Sox fans. The team now needs to finish 6-6 to avoid losing 100 games for a third consecutive season.