White Sox's postseason hopes might rely on two breakout pitchers

The Chicago White Sox are 76-73 entering play on Monday, September 14. They're just 0.5 games up on the Cleveland Guardians and fittingly begin a series against their division rivals in Cleveland to get the week started.

If they struggle during this series, not only could the White Sox lose their AL Central lead, but they might even drop out of the postseason field entirely. This is a pivotal series, and the end of the season is still very important to Chicago.

One AL scout told ESPN's Jesse Rogers that the White Sox can be a "sleeper" postseason team if two pitchers can perform at a high level. 

White Sox need two key pitchers to play well to have a chance in October

"If the White Sox can get just a little starting pitching, they could still make some noise," an AL scout told Rogers. "They have a bullpen. That's always a need in the playoffs. And they can hit home runs. They just haven't lately. I like them as a sleeper, assuming [Davis] Martin or [Sean] Burke are good."

Whether it's during the postseason or just to get there, Will Venable and the White Sox need Sean Burke and Davis Martin to play well.

The White Sox have a good bullpen and an offense led by Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas that can actually compete with the best of the best around MLB.

But to actually make a postseason run, let alone get there, the White Sox need to get better production from their starting rotation.

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While Luis Castillo, Anthony Kay, Erick Fedde and David Sandlin could help the rotation, it's really Burke and Martin who need to perform at a high level to have a chance.

The rest of the rotation is not nearly as important. Having two ace-level pitchers in October is all a team needs to go on a run. Martin and Burke are the White Sox's best chance at getting that this season.

Burke and Martin have to be better than they've been, especially lately, if the White Sox want to make a run this October.

If they continue to struggle, not only would a postseason run seem a bit out of reach, but there's a chance they fail to even make the playoffs with the Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers hot on their tail.

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