The White Sox came out of the All-Star break needing wins to keep the front office from selling off pieces before the July 31 trade deadline.
The momentum of winning nine of 12 games before the break might help, but the schedule will do no favors for the White Sox.
As ESPN’s Buster Olney points out, the Sox have the toughest second-half schedule in baseball.
Coming out of the break, the Sox were slated to play 41 of their 76 second-half games against teams at .500 or better. That’s more challenging opponents than any of the other 24 contenders Olney writes about.
Quirks: It’s like the baseball gods have stacked the odds against the White Sox in the second half, given the gauntlet that is laid out before them. Out of the break, the White Sox will face, in order: Kansas City and St. Louis at home, Cleveland and Boston on the road, the Yankees and Tampa Bay at home, the Royals on the road, then 10 games against the Angels (seven) and Cubs (three). Good luck with that. Big finish: If the White Sox are still somehow in the playoff race down the stretch, their final games could matter; they get to host six games against division rivals Detroit and Kansas City in the final week.
The Sox opened the second half with a doubleheader split against the Royals on Friday.
