The Most Powerful Underdogs in Chicago

 Just like the 2016 Cubs. If the White Sox are gonna do an underdog story, they're gonna be the most jacked underdogs in history.

I mean...look at this damned team. I'm not finding many flaws whatsoever just looking over the roster. Yes, maybe Steve Cishek and Aaron Bummer have let them down a bit in the bullpen department, but everything else speaks like this team had been preparing for a run for YEARS. 

Obviously Jose Abreu's having his best season yet, but...Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal, James McCann, Yan Moncada, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, Adam Engel and MIDSEASON PICKUP JARROD DYSON are ALL HOT. AND ALL KILLING IT. Jesus. This is a core I was waiting to take off, but not like this, and not all at once. And even if Yasmani Grandal and Edwin Encarnacion aren't hitting for average, they're still...producing runs. Edwin could be a sleeper postseason run producer, in the same vein as 2012-era Raul Ibanez in New York.

And then...the rotation. We're dealing with Giolito-Keuchel-Cease-Dunning-Lopez and goddammit it's working. Dylan Cease is the 3 man and still has a 3 ERA and 5 wins. Dane Dunning came up the same night as Casey Mize and still has outdone him in so many categories, especially ERA, which is a 2.33 in Dunning's case. Keuchel's just getting off the DL, he should have some awesome postseason numbers. And Giolito, though he took a bit to find himself, FINALLY mastered things mid-last month, pitched a no-hitter, and has 86 strikeouts, meaning we're basically back to the norm for Gio. I'm kinda glad he's become their unofficial ace, cause he's very talented. 

This is a strong, well-stocked, versatile, deep team that somehow evaded the sight of Minnesota and Cleveland and has a strong chance of nabbing either the 1st or 2nd seed of the playoffs, and sticking around for a bit. I've wanted this team to inherit good things for a while, so it means a lot that it's finally happening. I hope they can make something happen this postseason.

Coming Tonight: Meanwhile, on the north side, one of the [whoa] most senior members of this Cubs team finally comes to prominence.