CHICAGO (104.3 The Score) — The cars began backing up the ramp to 35th Street nearly four hours before the scheduled 6:40 p.m. first pitch Friday at Rate Field, with lines of fans also filing off the Red Line into Bridgeport. They wore the colors of both this city’s baseball teams, each filled with hope ahead of the anticipated Crosstown Classic.
The Cubs are in first place in the NL Central and have solidified their place as one of the best teams in Major League Baseball, while the White Sox are one of the game’s great surprises early on. For just the second time since 2008, both teams boast winning records as they meet in Chicago’s city rivalry. The lone occurrence since was in 2020, in a pandemic-shortened season in which fans weren't permitted into either ballpark.
On Friday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell reminded that these matchups with the White Sox are meaningful for fans of both teams – but not at all personal for players on each side – and that has mostly held true since this series began in 1997. But the significance has been lost in recent years. It may be back for some time in Chicago.
Ten years after winning the World Series, the Cubs hope their championship window is wide open again. They won 92 games and a playoff series in 2025 and hope to exceed that this season. With a promising core in place – led by third baseman Alex Bregman, second baseman Nico Hoerner, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, fist baseman Michael Busch and more – the Cubs can be a contender for years to come.
During the Cubs’ golden era a decade ago, the White Sox were “mired in mediocrity,” as then-general manager Rick Hahn famously said. Their first rebuilding effort began in earnest ahead of the 2017 season.
When the White Sox emerged as a playoff team in 2020, the Cubs’ championship core had declined to a point in which the breakup became inevitable. A year later, the South Side celebrated an AL Central crown while the North Side mourned the end of its best era.
The White Sox have now emerged from an incredibly painful rebuilding era, which featured three consecutive 100-loss seasons – including an MLB-record 121 losses in 2024. Now, this is a fun ballclub embracing its ascension.
Climbing above .500 at 22-21 with a win Thursday was a sign of progress for the White Sox, who have a promising core developing. Beyond Japanese newcomer Munetaka Murakami, who has 15 home runs already this season, the White Sox have seen the emergence of young players like shortstop Colson Montgomery, third baseman Miguel Vargas, left fielder Sam Antonacci and second baseman Chase Meidroth. Rookie left-hander Noah Schultz may prove to be the best pitcher in town over the course of the next decade.
No longer are the White Sox in a rebuilding state. This is a team on the rise with hopes to prove its place as a genuine contender. A weak American League field may allow the White Sox to compete earlier than expected this season. And the Cubs remain a prominent force in baseball hoping to remain in the class of the game’s top teams.
Chicago has long dreamed of a World Series between the Cubs and White Sox, a matchup that once took place back in 1906. Short of that, what this city has clamored to see is these two teams playing meaningful baseball on the same field.
This Crosstown Classic features the Cubs and White Sox each playing winning baseball and building for more.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
