Dominant Rays, wacky White Sox and Yanks flailing at the brink: ALDS takeaways

The Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox are a combined 4-0, both one win away from advancing to the AL Championship Series, and both answering questions about their viability in a most voracious fashion.

And they're doing it their way, the White Sox with an unprecedented pitching plan and the Rays suffocating the New York Yankees in every facet of the game.

ALDS Game 1: Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martínez takes the field before the game. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1 : Players line up for the anthem and flyovers in Cleveland. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1: Cleveland Guardians starter Parker Messick reacts after a strikeout in the first inning. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1 Munetaka Murakami watches his home run in the fourth inning. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1: Miguel Vargas rounds the bases on Murakami's home run in the fourth. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1: Munetaka Murakami celebrates after hitting a two-run homer in the fourth against Cleveland. (David Richard, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) ALDS Game 1 : Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor celebrates with catcher Kyle Teel after the final out against the Guardians. (David Richard, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 1 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1: Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martínez takes the field before the game. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 1 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1: Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martínez takes the field before the game. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 2 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1 : Players line up for the anthem and flyovers in Cleveland. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 3 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1: Cleveland Guardians starter Parker Messick reacts after a strikeout in the first inning. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 4 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1 Munetaka Murakami watches his home run in the fourth inning. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 5 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1: Miguel Vargas rounds the bases on Murakami's home run in the fourth. (Ken Blaze, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 6 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1: Munetaka Murakami celebrates after hitting a two-run homer in the fourth against Cleveland. (David Richard, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 7 / 7 Best action from 2026 MLB playoffs' ALDS and NLDS ALDS Game 1 : Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor celebrates with catcher Kyle Teel after the final out against the Guardians. (David Richard, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) The Rays are scarier than we imagined It's a tradition every autumn, trying to discern which teams' regular-season success will translate best to playoff baseball. The Rays have made two World Series runs in 18 years, the watchword in that time being their consistency.