The Chicago Cubs made a roster move prior to their scheduled doubleheader on Friday against the Boston Red Sox, as right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera has been placed on the family medical emergency list.
Hopefully, the situation taking Cabrera away from the team isn’t too serious, but it does mean the right-handed pitcher is done for the regular season. A player on the family medical emergency list is required to miss at least three days and a maximum of seven. The 28-year-old has been pitching out of the bullpen since his return from the injured list earlier in September.
It has been a frustrating and downright disappointing season for Cabrera, who has dealt with a blister issue a few times, leading to two stints on the injured list, and a third after he suffered a hamstring strain in late June. The results when healthy have been poor, with few signs of improvement in 2026. It’s been a major step back for Cabrera in his first season with the Cubs after his breakout 2025 season, which led to a trade with the Miami Marlins.
Looking ahead to next week’s Wild Card Series, which at this point would be on the road against the San Diego Padres, Cabrera would be eligible to return, but his performance leads you to believe that he will be left out of the playoff roster entirely.
As for this weekend’s series against the Red Sox, right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell has been called up to replace Cabrera in the bullpen.
The 28-year-old relief pitcher was having a nice year out of the bullpen before an injury sidelined Hollowell at the end of July. The sample size was relatively small- 14 appearances covering 14.1 innings- but nonetheless, the right-hander was stellar with a 2.51 ERA. That included a stretch of only giving up two earned runs in 12.2 innings from June 16 through July 30.
In his last 13 games before going down with right shoulder inflammation, Hollowell posted a 1.42 ERA with 12 strikeouts.
Hollowell returned to action in September with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A after recovering from his shoulder injury. The right-hander made four appearances, struck out six batters, walked three, and allowed one run in 4.1 innings.
A Green Bay Packers fan yells his displeasure during the third quarter of their game against the Atlanta Falcons Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
For over 30 years, the Green Bay Packers have maintained an aura of excellence that few franchises have ever come close to replicating. Between 1992 and 2025, they had five losing seasons. That’s it. Otherwise, they either had a winning record or were in the playoffs competing for championships. It felt like there was a harmonious relationship between the team and fans. An unshakable bond. As it turns out, that bond might’ve been hollow all along. The Packers merely kept it secret because they’ve been winning for so long.
Now, as the team gets a real taste of being genuinely bad for the first time in ages, the fans have turned on them. Thursday night felt like a bottoming out. Despite being at home against the winless Atlanta Falcons, who’d just gotten crushed a few days prior by Carolina, the Packers came out flat. Bijan Robinson and Drake London torched them for more than 400 combined yards, and the Falcons cruised to a 35-14 victory. It was the most humiliating defeat in years, and the fans made their displeasure known by booing the team. Tight end Tucker Kraft seemed to take exception to that.
“That’s pretty tough. Like everyone pictures Lambeau Field and not boos. I don’t picture boos. I picture my home stadium. That’s tough. It’s pretty disappointing, especially for a home opener. It’s pretty disappointing. It’s not going to help us win. Like I don’t know what people think that’s going to rally us or something like that. But that’s — we’re grown men. We’re mentally strong enough, capable enough to get back on the field and play ball. But it’d probably much easier with the 70,000 people behind us rather than opposing us.”
It all traces back to that December Green Bay Packers loss in Chicago.
Going into that fateful game at Soldier Field, the Packers were 9-4-1. Despite losing to Denver the previous week, they were still in control of the division. They’d already beaten the Chicago Bears a few weeks earlier at Lambeau Field. All they had to do was take care of business that night, and everything would remain as it should. Everything was fine going into the 4th quarter. Green Bay led 16-6 with 5:06 left. History said that there was no way the Bears were coming back. They never had before.
Then the craziness started. Overcoming two penalties and a 4th down to kick a field goal to pull within 7. Securing an onside kick to steal a possession. Hitting an undrafted rookie receiver on 4th down for the tying score with 24 seconds left. Caleb Williams to D.J. Moore in overtime. Game over. From that point, the Green Bay Packers would lose another four games in a row, including another one to the Bears in the playoffs. All of that self-assurance and confidence evaporated.
Watching them against Atlanta, some theorized that something had broken in the Packers’ heads because of that loss to Chicago.
The Cowboys 2023 playoff loss to the Packers broke them in so many different ways.
I wonder if the Packers are feeling a little bit of after their loss to the Bears.
Players firing back at fans is the first sign of bad tidings.
The Bears can speak from experience. After all, this exact scenario happened to them seven years ago. In the 2019 opener, Chicago lost to Green Bay 10-3 in one of the most frustrating games in the rivalry’s history. Bears fans showered the offense with boos towards the end, disgusted by the utter lack of productivity against a team they’d literally beaten just a few months prior. Safety Eddie Jackson was disturbed by the events and made that known during a radio interview.
“For them to start booing, that’s something that we don’t take kindly, we don’t accept, we don’t like.”
Sound familiar? That is essentially the same thing Kraft said. You can’t boo us. That doesn’t help anybody. We all know what happened after that. Chicago finished 8-8, missed the playoffs after that promising 2018 run, and fell into mediocrity. Is the same thing happening to Green Bay? All the signs are there. Players are disgruntled. Coaches seem to have lost the locker room. The roster is flawed. Fans are furious. To think it all got rolling because of a loss to the Bears.
Sep 24, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox celebrate a playoff berth after defeating the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
After three consecutive 100-loss seasons, the Chicago White Sox have clinched a spot in the postseason.
It’s a sentence that would have sounded almost impossible at the start of the year. Chicago was coming off a 102-loss season with a young roster, limited starting pitching and plenty of questions about whether this team was ready to turn things around.
Sure, there was plenty of talent on the roster, but after averaging just 54 wins over the previous three seasons, even reaching 70 wins would have represented a drastic improvement. Instead, the White Sox have already won 82 games, with three games still remaining.
While the postseason berth may have surprised fans, those inside the clubhouse believed from the start of Spring Training that this team was capable of getting here.
The 2026 White Sox found the right mix of patience, power and a deep bullpen to propel them to their first postseason appearance since 2021. Chicago ranks fourth in MLB with 584 walks, sixth with 204 home runs and eighth in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage, posting a .321 OBP and .404 slugging percentage. The White Sox also rank ninth in OPS at .725.
After a rough road trip to open the season, the White Sox set the tone in their home opener with a walk-off single from Tristan Peters. It was the first of 11 walk-off wins this season, with seven different players delivering the game-winning hit.
Entering Friday, the White Sox have three players with at least 30 home runs. Miguel Vargas has spearheaded the offense with 33 homers and 92 RBIs, while rookie Munetaka Murakami has matched him with 33 home runs in his first MLB season. That power has helped Chicago average 4.8 runs per game, the fifth-most in MLB.
But the job is not done yet. The AL Central title is still up for grabs and could be the difference between a deep postseason run and a Wild Card-round exit.
Win the division, and the White Sox would earn a bye through the Wild Card Series and home-field advantage in the ALDS. Fall short, and they would have to navigate the Wild Card round before advancing to the Division Series.
That bye could be particularly valuable for a White Sox bullpen that has thrown more innings than any other team in baseball. Avoiding the Wild Card round would give Chicago’s relievers several additional days of rest before the Division Series.
Home-field advantage could also be significant. The White Sox own a 46-32 record at 35th and Shields, compared to a 36-45 mark on the road. Add in a raucous crowd of South Siders dressed in black, and Rate Field could become one of the toughest places to play in the American League, especially for a young team that has fed off the crowd’s energy all season.
As things currently stand, the White Sox sit one game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. Cleveland also punched its ticket to October with a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Thursday.
If Cleveland wins its final three games, it will clinch the division regardless of whether Chicago wins out.
However, Chicago owns the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker after beating Cleveland at Progressive Field on Sept. 14. That means the White Sox only need to finish tied with the Guardians to claim the AL Central title.
Chicago will close out the regular season with three games at home against the Colorado Rockies, who became the first team since 1942 to lose 100 games in four consecutive seasons outside of their inaugural expansion years.
Meanwhile, the Guardians will head to Kansas City to face the 68-91 Royals. Cleveland is 5-5 against Kansas City this season and split a four-game series during its last visit to Kauffman Stadium in May.
The White Sox also own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Texas Rangers, meaning Chicago would secure the No. 2 seed if it wins the division and Texas loses one more game.
The math is simple: Chicago needs to finish at least one game ahead of Cleveland over the final three games to win the division outright. If the White Sox sweep the Rockies, Cleveland would need to sweep Kansas City to keep Chicago from taking the AL Central.
If the White Sox don’t reclaim first place, their Wild Card matchup will depend on the outcome of the AL West race.
As things currently stand, Chicago would face the Houston Astros as the No. 6 seed in the American League. Houston, sitting at 79-80, is on pace to surpass the 2005 San Diego Padres’ record for the lowest winning percentage by a division winner. The Padres finished 82-80 that season.
But the Astros have given the White Sox fits this season, going 5-2 in their seven matchups while outscoring Chicago 31-28.
Houston currently owns the same record as the Rangers, but holds the tiebreaker over Texas, a team the White Sox have had far more success against. Chicago is 4-2 in six head-to-head meetings with the Rangers, averaging six runs per game and scoring at least 10 runs in three of those matchups.
So while the White Sox have already secured their return to October, the final three games will determine whether they enter the postseason with a bye and home-field advantage or have to survive the Wild Card round first.
Sep 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
For most teams across the NFL, losing your starting quarterback is tantamount to a visit from the Grim Reaper. Your season is put in immediate jeopardy. That is how Chicago Bears fans certainly felt watching Caleb Williams hit the Soldier Field turf last Sunday. They feared the 2026 season was over before it had barely begun. Later tests revealed the damage wasn’t as bad as feared. Still, he is likely to miss at least one game, and the timing is rough. They are about to face a pretty good Philadelphia Eagles team on Monday Night Football.
One would think people inside the league view the Bears as in the same dire situation as Washington or New York. Both just lost their quarterbacks as well. That isn’t what Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports found out when asking around. Multiple NFL scouts told him that while Williams is a great talent, his absence won’t be felt nearly as much in Chicago as it will be elsewhere, with other QBs. Much of that stems from the type of offensive system the Bears have and the man directing it.
The Bears are built to function without Caleb Williams.
But at least one scout thinks that, even without him, they’d be fine.
“That’s really a running team anyway,” the scout told me. “Williams obviously adds a lot to that, but so much of it is Ben Johnson’s creative scheme. I’m not saying they’d go to the Super Bowl without Caleb. But I think they can ride those two running backs (D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai) to the playoffs behind that offensive line.”
Another scout told me that he even had some faith in the Bears’ backup quarterbacks — either Tyson Bagent, who is recovering from a concussion, or Case Keenum.
“I trust Ben Johnson more than most coaches to find what they do best and make them successful,” the scout told me. “He’s the one that made Jared Goff into a star in Detroit. He salvaged Caleb Williams after his rocky rookie season. I’m not saying [Bagent or Keenum] are Goff and Williams. They’re obviously not.
“I’m just saying they’re in very good hands.”
Fans already saw this at work last season.
There were four games in 2025 in which Williams had fewer than 200 passing yards. The Bears were 3-1 in those games. That is because they ran the ball well in all of them. Granted, Williams made plays when he had to, but it’s worth noting he had 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in those games. He was a minor factor at best. If Case Keenum, who’s projected to start on Monday, can produce even a modestly efficient evening with around 200 yards and no turnovers, this offense is good enough to win games.
All of this feels intentional on Johnson’s part. He’s always been a coach driven by practicality. Having a great quarterback is great. However, what happens if that quarterback goes down? Suddenly, everything you’ve built goes down the drain. Investing in a dominant ground attack is the most proven way to quarterback-proof the offense. It puts power back in the hands of the other 10 players. Yes, the Bears will miss Williams’ big arm and improvisational skill. Even so, Keenum can hand the ball off just as well as anybody.
One of those three opponents the Bears defeated last season, despite Williams having a mostly forgettable game, was Philadelphia. They ran for over 280 yards. While they are unlikely to match that number this time around, it’s fair to say Chicago knows it should be able to run the ball against this defense. After all, other teams have done it this year. Washington had 132 yards on the ground, and Tennessee had 122. The Eagles remain vulnerable in that area. Their pass defense has merely managed to keep it from being totally exploited.
With Caleb Williams out, you can bet Johnson will look to change that. He knows where this offense’s bread is buttered. That offensive line is built to go forward, and they have two really good running backs to utilize. Keenum has historically been pretty effective on play action passes. The smart thing to do is lean into that. Don’t ask him to be a hero. Just drive the high-performance vehicle responsibly.
Sep 22, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Luis Castillo (58) pitches during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Luis Castillo has already lost his spot in the Chicago White Sox starting rotation; now his spot on the postseason roster could also be in jeopardy.
On Thursday, the White Sox placed Castillo on the 15-day IL with right shoulder impingement and recalled Tyler Davis in a corresponding move. The move appears to be a clear phantom IL stint, allowing Chicago to add another pitcher without having to send anyone down while Castillo continues to receive his salary.
Regardless of whether Castillo is actually injured, there’s a strong case for keeping him off the postseason roster. When he enters a game, no lead feels completely safe.
During his last outing Tuesday, Castillo entered the ninth inning with the White Sox holding a comfortable 14-7 lead. After retiring the first batter he faced, he allowed back-to-back singles, a walk, and then a grand slam to Vinnie Pasquantino, cutting the lead to three and turning what looked like an easy victory into an uneasy final two outs.
Castillo eventually recorded those final two outs, but outings like this have become far too common since he put on a White Sox uniform.
The 33-year-old right-hander had plenty of red flags before the White Sox traded for him at the deadline. His strikeout rate, once one of the strengths of his game, had fallen significantly to just 19%. He was also struggling to keep the ball on the ground, with his average exit velocity, barrel rate, and ground-ball rate all ranking in the bottom half of MLB — concerns that were only amplified in a hitter-friendly environment like Rate Field.
But given his pedigree, including three All-Star appearances and a fifth-place finish in the 2023 Cy Young voting, he was viewed as a pitcher who could benefit from a change of scenery.
Even if he didn’t return to his All-Star form, his durability and ability to eat innings looked like a valuable asset for a thin starting rotation and a bullpen that has covered more innings than any team in baseball. Castillo led the MLB in games started in 2021 and 2023 and has thrown 170-plus innings in six of his ten seasons, averaging over 150 innings thrown a season.
Just nine games into his White Sox tenure, neither expectation has come close to materializing.
In his first six starts in the black, silver and white, Castillo made it through the fourth inning just twice and lasted beyond the fifth only once. Even when Will Venable turned to an opener strategy for his start in St. Louis, the results didn’t improve. Castillo surrendered three runs on four hits and three walks while recording just eight outs over 2.2 innings.
While there’s an argument that Castillo’s postseason experience could be valuable, there simply doesn’t appear to be a viable role for him on the White Sox’s playoff roster. His ERA has ballooned to 5.85 on the season, while his .270 expected batting average against ranks in MLB’s 11th percentile.
He can no longer be relied upon as a starter after repeatedly failing to work deep into games and putting the White Sox in early holes. He also hasn’t established himself as a reliable long reliever or a viable option in high-leverage situations.
Castillo owns a 5.57 ERA across 23 starts this season, and his numbers have actually been worse in relief, where he has posted a 7.88 ERA across 16 innings. While that sample is considerably smaller, it does little to suggest he has found a reliable role in Chicago.
As things currently stand, the White Sox’s postseason rotation will likely feature Sean Burke, Davis Martin, Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde, although Chicago could turn to its opener strategy with Fedde.
In the bullpen, Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb and Hagen Smith will likely handle the highest-leverage situations. Noah Schultz and David Sandlin figure to be the primary bulk-relief options, while Jordan Hicks, Huascar Brazobán and Trevor Richards could fill the middle-inning roles.
Ultimately, it will come down to whether the White Sox trust a rookie in Sandlin who only has 40.1 MLB innings under his belt or choose to go with Castillo’s experience. With only 13 pitching spots available, every roster decision carries added weight and Castillo’s inability to establish himself as a reliable starter or reliever could ultimately leave him on the outside looking in when the White Sox finalize their postseason roster
Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears president and ceo Kevin Warren against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears hired Kevin Warren as their team president in 2022. Their goal was pretty obvious even from the start. Warren had extensive experience with negotiating a new stadium project from his time with the Minnesota Vikings. On paper, it looked like an easy choice. Four years later, and it’s become apparent that Warren, for all his positive spins and big plans, was wholly unprepared for what he was walking into. To say nothing of all the information that has come out about how unpopular he was as Big Ten commissioner.
Still, the organization has forged ahead with the stadium pursuit despite a frustrating lack of progress. Illinois hasn’t presented a bill that gives the desired property tax and infrastructure help they need. Indiana is, but their possible building locations aren’t exactly prime real estate. One would think an “expert” like Warren would’ve found a solution by now. Instead, all he’s offered are meaningless updates assuring everybody the team is taking its time to get the decision right.
In reality, all signs point to him being stuck. Now he might be looking for an exit strategy.
Kevin Warren may finally realize he’s in over his head.
Sports Mockery got some interesting information regarding the Bears’ president. It seems he’s been getting contacted by multiple colleges about taking over their athletic director positions. Florida State and Arkansas were mentioned as ones who’ve shown interest. This suggests that Warren might be trying to slip out the back door. His reputation is already taking a grievous hit due to how long this stadium issue has gone on. Remember, this is a man with the ambition to be NFL commissioner down the line.
That hope has already died. The longer this goes without a resolution, the worse he’ll look in the eyes of the public and, more importantly, the high-rollers looking for executives to run their organizations. The McCaskeys gave him the keys to the kingdom, and he fumbled the ball on the first play from scrimmage. History shows that when this happens to coaches at the NFL level, they almost always retreat to college. It appears the same might be true for Kevin Warren as well.
Bears minority owner Pat Ryan and Stadium Exec Karen Murphy met with Gov. JB Pritzker’s top economic development official in August, despite Kevin Warren saying the team’s “sole focus” is Indiana and talks with Illinois were “minimal.”, per @brendenmoore13
There is really no way the man can leave his post right now without looking like he’s slinking away in defeat. Everybody remembers all that big talk Warren did about ushering in a bright future for the Bears. The only thing he can hang his hat on at this point is having a hand in hiring head coach Ben Johnson. That’s it. He can hardly take all the credit for that. General manager Ryan Poles, whom Warren didn’t hire, spearheaded the effort and closed the deal.
So you can see the problem. Like any good politician, he needs something to happen that can at least be framed as a victory. Only then might he feel comfortable enough leaving his post for one less challenging, claiming he left the Bears in a good place. Unfortunately, no such opportunity has presented itself. So either he must stay at his post and hope something breaks, or bite the bullet and leave.
Sep 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs team sits for a photo after the team clinched a playoff spot after the game against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Chicago Cubs have punched their ticket to the 2026 MLB Playoffs, beating the Miami Marlins 2-1 on Thursday. Matthew Boyd pitched seven strong innings, while a Seiya Suzuki home run and a Nico Hoerner RBI single were just enough to outlast the Marlins. The Cubs are still battling for home-field advantage in the Wild Card round, currently trailing the San Diego Padres, who are in action tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but for a moment, let’s look back at how insane a 2026 season it has been for the Cubs so far.
Every team will suffer injuries throughout the year, some significant, some recurring, and for the 2026 Cubs, it was a lot of both. While the team was fortunate to keep their position players healthy for most of the year, Matt Shaw missed a few months on the injured list; Seiya Suzuki missed a few weeks at the beginning of the season; Dansby Swanson was lucky to miss only a month with an oblique strain; and aside from Alex Bregman’s recent broken face, they’ve been a healthy group. The pitching staff must have pissed off a witch, made a field trip to a haunted house or something, because it seemed like there was an injured pitcher on a weekly basis this season.
Cade Horton blowing out his elbow in his second start of the season pretty much set the tone for how much the Cubs would deal with pitching injuries in 2026.
Every Pitching Injury for the 2026 Cubs Cade Horton: Tommy John Surgery; pitched in 2 games, 7.1 innings Matthew Boyd: 15-day IL for biceps strain and 15-day IL for meniscus injury Edward Cabrera: Two trips to the IL for blisters and a 15-day IL stint for hamstring strain Jameson Taillon: 15-day IL for hamstring strain Ben Brown: neck strain, out since June Porter Hodge: Tommy John Surgery; missed the entire season Jordan Wicks: Elbow Inflammation; wasn’t available until May Phil Maton: Three trips to the IL for a knee sprain; had surgery, pitched in 31 games Hunter Harvey: Triceps inflammation; hasn’t pitched since April; 4 IP in 4 games Ethan Roberts: 15-day IL for finger laceration, 15-day IL for strained forearm Daniel Palencia: 15-day IL for lat strain, 15-day IL for elbow inflammation Caleb Thielbar: 15-day IL for hamstring strain Riley Martin: strained elbow flexor; 8.1 IP in 8 games, out since May Hoby Milner: 15-day IL for emergency appendectomy Gavin Hollowell: 15-day IL for shoulder inflammation Trent Thornton: 15-day IL for ankle discomfort
Oh, and by the way, that list doesn’t include Justin Steele, who was expected to return by June but unfortunately suffered a setback in late April. Steele has not pitched for the Cubs since April 2025.
So, at one point, the Cubs were without Steele, their former Opening Day starter; Matthew Boyd, this year’s Opening Day starter; and Cade Horton, who many thought deserved to be the Opening Day starter. Then, in June, Ben Brown went down with a neck strain that ultimately ended his season after he became the team’s ace in May.
On June 24, the Cubs had Steele, Horton, Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, and Ben Brown on the injured list at the same time. In late April, the top four relief pitchers were on the injured list at the same time as well: Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Caleb Thielbar. Ethan Roberts and Riley Martin, who both came up and pitched well filling in out of the bullpen, also suffered injuries in April.
In the middle of April, the Cubs had 10 pitchers from their 40-man roster on the injured list. That’s bad enough, but it was worse when you consider that they didn’t really have many options to turn to in the minor leagues, as a total of 31 pitchers in the organization were out with injuries at the same time.
The Cubs lead MLB by using 39 different pitchers during the 2026 season.
Credit to the coaching staff, Craig Counsell, the front office for making key acquisitions throughout the season, and the team for never giving up. It got very ugly by mid-June, when injuries seemingly caught up with the Cubs. However, Pete Crow-Armstrong has carried the team on his back, but he’s certainly had help. The Cubs have the top offense and defense in MLB this year, which they needed to be to overcome the shortcomings of the pitching staff.
It’s the first step toward a longer postseason journey. Do not take a playoff team for granted. This is only the fifth time in the Wild Card era that the Cubs have reached the postseason in consecutive years. Celebrate it. Enjoy it.
It’s been a crazy year. Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come.
“We’re built for the weird shit.” -Pete Crow-Armstrong on the Cubs handling adversity and rising above it this season en route to a second straight playoff appearance.
Jul 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Chicago White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper (99) talks with starting pitcher Chris Sale (49) in the dugout during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated Chicago, 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
As the Chicago White Sox popped champagne and poured it over one another in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, I’d like to think Don Cooper was looking down with a smile.
The White Sox’s 9-1 win over the Royals in Thursday’s series finale secured the organization’s 12th postseason appearance in franchise history. Cooper was the pitching coach for three of them, having devoted nearly half his life to White Sox baseball.
Just one day earlier, news broke that Cooper had died at 70.
The word “legend” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s hard to describe Don Cooper’s tenure with the White Sox any other way. Simply put, Cooper is woven into the fabric of White Sox baseball. You can’t tell the story of the franchise without him.
Cooper spent 33 seasons in the White Sox organization from 1988 to 2020, including 18 full seasons as the team’s pitching coach.
For years, Cooper was regarded as one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. He oversaw the 2005 pitching staff that played a pivotal role in the White Sox’s World Series championship, including a historic run through the ALCS. Chicago became the first team in MLB history to throw four consecutive complete games in a postseason series — a record that still stands today.
Cooper was also in the dugout for Mark Buehrle’s and Philip Humber’s perfect games, while Buehrle and Lucas Giolito each threw no-hitters under his watch.
While Cooper may be gone, his impact on the players he coached remains. He was fiercely loyal to his pitchers and a natural motivator, giving them the freedom to be themselves while never shying away from tough love when they needed to hear it.
But if someone from the outside came after one of his guys, Cooper wasn’t having it. Whether it was a criticism from the media or someone else, he was often one of the first people to stand up and have his pitchers’ backs.
Chris Sale shares his thoughts on the passing of Don Cooper #whitesox
“Who he was to me when I was a young guy in Chicago, the things that he instilled in me, I wouldn’t be here without him,” former White Sox left-hander Chris Sale said during a postgame press conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. “I felt like he was the perfect pitching coach for me when I got to him. He allowed me to be myself; he let me know when I needed to get it cleaned up and back on the rails. But he always put his arm around me and I knew he loved me.”
Many of Cooper’s former colleagues shared Sale’s sentiment. William Contreras told MLB.com that he viewed Cooper’s death like losing a family member. Chris Getz recalled making a costly error against the Cubs, only to have Cooper be the first person to put his arm around him and tell him to forget about it the next day. Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen also credited much of his success as a manager to Cooper.
“This man prepared you so good to his pitching staff. He make you believe you was Roger Clemens every night or Cy Young every night,” Guillen said during Wednesday’s CHSN pregame show. “You could not get anything by that man. He was always thinking ahead.”
“My career … it couldn’t be, wouldn’t be, never will be as a manager, without him.”
Cooper wasn’t just good to his players; he loved interacting with fans, too. Before games, you could often find him down the third-base line signing autographs and swapping stories with fans. He could get so wrapped up in the conversation that, at times, he’d forget whose ball he was signing.
And if you ever attended a panel with Cooper at SoxFest, you knew what was coming: story after story about the glory days, told with the kind of enthusiasm that could make you feel like you were right there with him.
His tenure with the White Sox ended unceremoniously when he was fired before the 2021 season. At the time, Cooper was angry. He felt like he had spent half his life with the organization, only to find that no one in the front office seemed to care about him.
His departure from the White Sox may have ended with hard feelings, but 2026 offered a reminder that his legacy was never defined by how his tenure ended. It was defined by the pitchers he helped, the players he supported, the fans he entertained, and the countless stories he left behind. So as the White Sox celebrated their return to October, it was hard not to think of Cooper — a man who was part of so many of the franchise’s special moments over the years — and imagine him smiling right along with them.
Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum (11) after a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Most head coaches would be nervous and uncertain about having to start their third-string backup. Losing Caleb Williams on Sunday felt like a deathblow to the season. Thankfully, the injury proved minor, but it does mean the Chicago Bears will be without their prized starter for at least one game. Adding to the mayhem was the delayed announcement that backup Tyson Bagent had also suffered a concussion in the game. This means Ben Johnson may have to take on Vic Fangio and that Philadelphia Eagles defense with Case Keenum under center.
For many, that is a daunting task. Keenum hasn’t played in a game since 2023 with the Houston Texans. He’s 38 years old and doesn’t have the same physical capabilities he did seven or eight years ago. Doesn’t that make Johnson uneasy? Not in the slightest. If anything, the Bears’ head coach seems almost a little excited about the prospect of calling the offense for the longtime veteran. That may sound baffling to many, but it stems from what Keenum brings to the table—namely, his mind.
Johnson knows Case Keenum can process quickly.
“I’ve called a lot of practices for him, unscripted practice,” Johnson said. “I’ve called a lot of preseason games for him so far. He’s at the point of his career where he’s like another coach in a lot of ways. He’s seen a ton. He knows what good football looks like. He knows what a healthy locker room looks like and he’s a key part of what we do.
And so he and I talk on a regular basis, from a quarterback meeting perspective to a big lens with the team. I mean, he’s a big part of this and so I’m not concerned at all about calling the game for him or how he can potentially play on Monday night…
…He sees the game the same way we do,” Johnson said. “I think he accelerates through his progressions because he’s seen so many things over the course of his time. He’s been in so many different offenses. So in a lot of ways, he might be a step slower than he was when he first entered the league, and yet his mind is going so fast it helps catch him on up.”
Johnson is a traditionalist at heart.
It seems so long ago, but just last year, many people questioned whether the partnership between Johnson and Williams would work. It felt like such a contrast in styles. Williams was part of that new wave of quarterbacks that mixed ungodly arm strength with incredible athleticism, making magic happen off-script. On the other end of the spectrum, you had Johnson. He ran a classic-style offense built around running the ball, play action, and timing-and-rhythm passing concepts. It is why Jared Goff played his best football in Detroit. Johnson’s system was a perfect fit for him.
To the head coach’s credit, he made adjustments to the scheme to incorporate Williams’ ability with great success. Things were really clicking towards the end of last season. However, it was still apparent that the Bears’ young quarterback didn’t play with the timing and rhythm the system usually calls for. Some still argue we haven’t seen Johnson’s system at its full potential as a result. That probably won’t change with Case Keenum, but his style of play is a more natural fit.
“He’s gonna go down as probably the best play-caller, play designer, coach — all of the above — when it’s all said and done. Some of the stuff that man does is unbelievable.”
While he’s had what can best be described as a roller coaster career, one thing has remained consistent. When put in the hands of a proven play caller, he tends to perform well. His two best seasons from a statistical perspective came in 2017 with Minnesota and 2019 with Washington. Pat Shurmur might’ve been a terrible head coach, but the man had considerable success as an offensive coordinator with the Vikings and Eagles. In Washington, Keenum got to work with a young coordinator named Kevin O’Connell.
One thing we know about Johnson is that he always does a good job of keeping his quarterbacks out of bad situations. Remember, Williams was sacked 68 times as a rookie. Johnson’s scheme adjustments and an improved offensive line dropped that to 24 last season. Keenum probably won’t set the world on fire come Monday night, but Johnson sounds pretty confident the offense will be okay.
Mar 29, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A overview of Tropicana Field with its lights on the roof as Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz (2) hits a home run during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Hey, I shit all over MLB a few days ago, but credit to the league for maybe actually trying to find a reasonable solution for this weekend’s series between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. A storm has already forced a schedule change, but it’s not necessarily the greatest outcome for the Cubs, who are currently penciled into a doubleheader on Friday. Sure, they would get Sunday off, an extra day of rest before the start of the playoffs, but their pitching plans would be in disarray with the doubleheader moved up ahead of time. Now, a new plan may be on the table to move the series to a new city.
The Cubs are finishing up their final home series on Thursday before flying out to Boston. As of now, the Cubs will play at Fenway Park. However, the league has not ruled out the possibility of moving the series to Tampa Bay, where the Cubs and Red Sox would play at Tropicana Field, home of the Rays.
Via Chris Cotillo.
Moving at least part of this weekend’s Red Sox-Cubs series to Tropicana Field has been discussed by MLB, I’m told, though nothing is finalized. Lots of possibilities in play.
Still, it would be pretty annoying if the Cubs ultimately had to fly to Boston after Thursday’s game at Wrigley Field, then play only one game Friday, and fly again to Tampa Friday night. The obvious solution seems to be to move the entire three-game series to Tampa from the start.
We’ll see what ends up happening, but hopefully MLB comes to its senses and makes the right call here, which is to move the series to Tampa, so that both the Cubs and Red Sox know on Thursday that they’re going to be flying down to Florida, instead of holding them hostage in Boston during the weekend.
(Previous Update)
This might still cost the Chicago Cubs, but it’s a lot better than forcing them to play a doubleheader the day before their Wild Card series, which was apparently on the table just yesterday. Luckily, MLB has come to its senses and made changes to the weekend series between the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox.
A storm will hit the Boston area hard this weekend, and as of Tuesday, it appeared as though MLB was going to let the Cubs hang out to dry. Although the Red Sox are hosting, they’re essentially locked into the second Wild Card seed in the American League. However, the Cubs are currently in a three-way tie for home-field advantage in the National League Wild Card series with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, so the final series of the regular season will likely determine who hosts alongside the Atlanta Braves to begin the playoffs.
Sunday’s forecast leaves little chance that the Cubs and Red Sox can play, so they’ll play a doubleheader on Friday, and Saturday night’s game could also be moved up to avoid the inclement weather. The Red Sox officially announced the schedule change on Wednesday.
Still, this schedule isn’t exactly the best-case scenario for the Cubs. Yes, it is 100% better than playing on Monday or even a doubleheader on Monday, but moving the doubleheader to the start of the series instead of Saturday will create pitching trouble for Craig Counsell and the Cubs.
Right now, Shōta Imanaga is scheduled to pitch the final regular-season game, and he’ll be doing it on short rest after throwing 91 pitches in five innings on Tuesday. Normally, teams can carry an extra pitcher, or a “27th man,” when playing a doubleheader, but because rosters have already expanded in September, the Cubs will not be allowed to call up an extra arm for Friday.
If MLB had prioritized competitive fairness, it could have moved the series away from Boston so the three games would be played on a normal schedule. For example, the Tampa Bay Rays end their season on the road, leaving their indoor stadium open for a potential series between the Cubs and Red Sox. But no, instead, the Cubs will play a moved-up doubleheader.
It’s not all bad news. If the Cubs take care of business in the next two games against the Miami Marlins, then they’ll be closer to clinching home-field advantage heading into Boston. The Red Sox won’t have anything to play for, which means their top pitchers will be rested. Finally, the Cubs will get an extra day off if they get out of Boston Saturday night, leaving Sunday free before Monday’s off day.
Bottom line, the Cubs, as they have all season, will have to overcome some adversity until the very end.
UPDATE
OK, maybe there will be a venue change after all, but not until game 162?
Sounds like venue change hasn't been ruled out for Cubs-Red Sox. Counsell: "There's still a lot of things on the table for sure. What I know is happening is we're going to play 3 games. So if weather is an issue then yeah we're gonna have to figure out a place to play a 3rd game"
