AL Central Tight Race: Sox Manager Urges Focus Inward

Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable views the current American League Central standings with perspective. He noted that the division is tightly bunched, offering opportunities for competitiveness and meaningful games. However, Venable also pointed out that the White Sox are currently below .500 and their primary focus remains on internal execution and winning individual games.

As of May 13, 2026, the White Sox were in second place in the AL Central, trailing the Cleveland Guardians by only 1.5 games. The division lacked a clear frontrunner, with most teams hovering around or below the .500 mark.

Players like Andrew Benintendi find the current competitive divisional race enjoyable, contrasting it with previous seasons where they felt out of contention early. General Manager Chris Getz expressed satisfaction with player development at both minor and major league levels, citing improved depth in the lineup, rotation, and bullpen, as well as better defense.

The White Sox recently won three of their last four series, including taking two out of three against the Seattle Mariners. Their schedule included limited matchups against AL Central opponents early in the season, with more series against the Royals, Twins, and Tigers planned later in May, and their first series against the Guardians scheduled for June.