Jeff Agrest
@jeffagrest.bsky.social
Chicago Sun-Times deputy sports editor/night editor/media columnist chicago.suntimes.com/sports YouTube: https://trib.al/TNpHnRr
Grant Taylor caps #WhiteSox latest bullpen game with four-inning save chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
Grant Taylor caps White Sox' latest bullpen game with four-inning save
What the Sox are doing with their pitching staff isn’t normal. For normal teams — you know, teams with a rotation — the starting pitcher goes, say, five, maybe even (gasp) six innings. It does happen.
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White Sox-Guardians playoff series can't get much closer than regular-season series chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
White Sox-Guardians playoff series can't get much closer than regular-season series
“I think there's been four walk-offs,” Sox outfielder/designated hitter Randal Grichuk said Saturday before Game 1 (noon, TBS, truTV, 1000-AM). “And every game I feel like has been tight.
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White Sox tab rookie lefty Hagen Smith for Game 1 vs. Guardians chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
White Sox tab rookie lefty Hagen Smith for Game 1 vs. Guardians
Smith opened Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Astros with three scoreless innings.
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With White Sox-Guardians series scheduled to start in daylight, Blackout Game might be tough chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
With White Sox-Guardians series scheduled to start in daylight, true Blackout Game might be tough
Games 3 and 4 at Rate Field are scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday and 4 next Thursday, respectively. That doesn't make for prime blackout conditions.
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BEARS LOCAL RATINGS: Eagles game drew a 27.9 household rating on ABC 7 + ESPN in the Chicago market (~1.05M HHs), peaking at 29.8 (~1.12M) in the 8:30 pm quarter-hour. HUGE numbers! Breakdown: ABC 7 19.9, ESPN 8.0
John Kelly and Cassie Campbell-Pascall will call Blackhawks-Mammoth tonight on ESPN+. My previous post was wrong. My apologies.
Alex Faust, Ron Darling and Lauren Jbara will call the WhiteSox-Guardians series on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
The SUN-TIMES SPORTS e-paper (late edition) cover for Thursday:
Victorious #WhiteSox escape Peacock, advance to TBS, truTV chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
Victorious White Sox escape Peacock, advance to TBS, truTV
White Sox fans, your TV nightmare is over. For as long as the Sox are alive in the postseason, their games will no longer be relegated to a streaming service or an under-distributed cable channel.
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Will Venable deserves lots of credit for White Sox success, but he won't take it chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
Will Venable deserves lots of credit for White Sox' success, but he won't take it
“He’s built for this,” Getz said while trying to stay clear of beer and champagne showers in the clubhouse. “His leadership ability, his competency, his ability to communicate with players, his temper...
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Astros manager JOE ESPADA said he talked to the players who criticized fans. “Our players love our fans,” he said. “We need our fans.” He said he understood players’ competitive nature coming out, but “show respect,” he said.
AREA COLLEGE 🏈 ON TV SATURDAY #3 NOTRE DAME at NORTH CAROLINA, 11 am CT ESPN: Wes Durham, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor *-McGregor's first ESPN appearance since her last on #Cubs Marquee Sports Network
B1G 🏈 ON TV THIS WEEKEND PENN STATE at NORTHWESTERN, 7 pm CT Friday FOX: Connor Onion, Robert Griffin III, Alexa Landestoy PURDUE at ILLINOIS, 3:15 Saturday BTN: Chris Vosters, Anthony Herron, Dannie Rogers
NFL on FOX coverage map for noon CT Sunday, including JETS-BEARS (h/t @506sports):
Rookie lefty Hagen Smith sets up #WhiteSox with three scoreless innings in Game 1 win chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
Rookie lefty Hagen Smith sets up White Sox with three scoreless innings in Game 1 win
Manager Will Venable revealed that the plan was for the rookie left-hander to face 11 batters. That’s exactly what he did.
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Whatever happens, #WhiteSox in better shape than after their last playoff series vs. Astros chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
Whatever happens, White Sox in better shape than after their last playoff series vs. Astros
There are a lot of similarities between the 2021 Sox' postseason visit to Houston and the 2026 team's. The current team should have a different fate.
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Schedule for first 3 days of MLB Division Series. White Sox-Astros winner plays Game 1 at noon CT Saturday.
#WhiteSox receive letter from their holiest fan, Pope Leo, before postseason opener chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
White Sox receive letter from their holiest fan, Pope Leo, before postseason opener
The Sox are in the Pope's thoughts and prayers, as well as "the Almighty's abundant blessings," as they begin the postseason.
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NFL moves BEARS-PACKERS from 3:25 pm to noon in Week 5. Had it stayed in the late window, it would've been seen by about a quarter of the country because of 49ers-Seahawks. At noon, it will be seen by at least half of the country. NFL is always thinking about distribution.
NBC Sports sent an UPDATED listing of wild-card announcers. Here it is:
WILD-CARD BROADCAST TEAMS White Sox-Astros: Dave Flemming, analysts Steve Stone & Geoff Blum, "Inside the Pitch" Clayton Kershaw, reporter John Fanta Cubs-Padres: Tom McCarthy, analysts Jim Deshaies & Mark Grant, "Inside the Pitch" Adam Ottavino, reporter Britney Eurton
Cubs, White Sox fans take one on chin from wild-card TV chicago.suntimes.com/sports-media...
Cubs, White Sox fans take one on chin from wild-card TV
To watch Games 1 and 2, fans must watch on Peacock, which costs $12.99 per month, or NBCSN, which is available on Comcast’s Xfinity system and streamers Fubo and YouTube TV.
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White Sox just missed drawing 2 million to Rate Field this season. 2026 total attendance: 1,986,419, the highest since 2022 and the 2nd-highest in the last 15 seasons.
For #Blackhawks season opener Tuesday at Golden Knights, Mike Monaco, analyst Kevin Weekes and reporter Stormy Buonantony will call it for ESPN. Broadcast time is 9:30 pm CT.
White Sox begin wild-card series at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Cubs at 9 p.m. chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/20...
White Sox begin wild-card series at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Cubs at 9 p.m.
Games 1 and 2 in each series are scheduled for the same start time. Game 3 is to be determined.
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STEVE STONE told Matt Spiegel on The Score’s “Hit and Run” that he’ll be a TV analyst for the WhiteSox’ wild-card series. It will air on Peacock and either NBC or NBCSN.
Expect #WhiteSox-Astros/Rangers to be day games Tuesday & Wednesday. Red Sox-Yankees & #Cubs-Padres figure to be at night. Games will air on NBC or NBCSN, which is available on YouTube TV, Fubo and Xfinity. All games will air on Peacock.
