White Sox September slump puts playoff hopes in danger

The latest: The Sox lost their third straight series — this time to the Cleveland Guardians, who moved ahead of them in the AL Central for the first time since July.

Yes, but: Several players who fueled the Sox's surprising season have gone cold at the worst possible time.

By the numbers: Early AL Rookie of the Year candidate Munetaka Murakami is ice cold, striking out in half of his plate appearances and hitting just two home runs this month.

• Budding star shortstop Colson Montgomery is in a similar slump and the pitching rotation hasn't helped. Starters Sean Burke, Anthony Kay and newcomer Luis Castillo haven't delivered down the stretch.

Zoom in: The Sox not only have to play catch-up in the division, but also fend off the hard-charging Texas Rangers for the final wild-card spot.

Between the lines: The September swoon is disappointing for Sox fans, who have flocked to the team's young energy after stomaching back-to-back-to-back terrible seasons.

• The Sox will need to rediscover that energy to hold onto a wild-card spot — or even reclaim first place in the AL Central.

Flashback: If the Sox can't hold on, it still won't match Chicago's most infamous September collapse: the 1969 Cubs.

• That team entered September with a 4.5-game lead over the Mets. The White Sox entered this September three games ahead of the Guardians.

The good news: The Sox have a relatively favorable schedule down the stretch, including games against last-place teams.

• Chicago will host a four-game series against the rival Detroit Tigers before heading out to Kansas City and Colorado to end the season.
• The Sox will need to win these games and get some help from the Guardians' opponents, including the Boston Red Sox.

The bottom line: No one expected the Sox to be here. Now they have to make sure a remarkable season doesn't end on a sour note.