Chicago White Sox Rely on 'Pitching Chaos' Strategy for ALDS Game 5 in Cleveland

The Chicago White Sox enter Game 5 against Cleveland as the first MLB team to win four straight postseason games with starters pitching four or fewer innings.

The Chicago White Sox face the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Saturday night, utilizing an unorthodox pitching strategy labeled "Pitching Chaos Squared." Chicago became the first team in MLB history to win four consecutive postseason games with a starter going four or fewer innings. Through the first four games of the 2026 playoffs, White Sox starters have combined for only 12⅔ innings, while the bullpen has recorded 41⅓ innings.

General manager Chris Getz confirmed the team is leaning into this approach due to a lack of traditional starters capable of pitching deep into games. The strategy resulted in a sweep of the Houston Astros and two initial wins against Cleveland, though the White Sox recently suffered a 9-5 loss in Game 4. In that defeat, four top relievers surrendered all of Cleveland's runs, evening the series.

Grant Taylor has emerged as a focal point of the staff, appearing in four postseason games and recording two saves. Pitcher Sean Burke leads the team with 9⅓ postseason innings across two appearances. In Game 2, the team utilized Anthony Kay for just one-third of an inning before turning to Sean Newcomb and Burke. This follows a regular season where Chicago led the league in the use of openers, beginning with a series against the Milwaukee Brewers where no starter reached the fifth inning.