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player ready...Two teams in a slump. Two teams in first place. Two historically good starts.
For the Cubs and Sox the shape of the season so far is the same: Torrid start, recent struggles, still in good position.
Just over a quarter of the way through the 2016 baseball season, both the Cubs and White Sox remain in prime position despite recent stumbles. The Cubs are 4-8 in the last 12 games after starting 25-6, an incredible pace that would be impossible to maintain for an entire season. The Sox have gone 4-9 over the last 13 games.
Both teams’ excellent starts have given them some breathing room to absorb any recent struggles.
Below, this season compared to each team’s historical performance since 1901.
2016 Cubs: Coming back down to earth
Before the Cubs recent struggles, some commentators were beginning to compare them to all-time great baseball teams. But the offense has begun to cool off, knocking this Cubs team down from “all-time great” to just “really good.” After 43 games their run differential (+109) is by far the best in baseball, as they’ve given up the fewest runs in the league, while scoring the third most.
Going into Tuesday, the Cubs are 29-14. Only three Cubs teams since 1901 have had better records through 43 games, and two of those teams went on to play in the World Series.
Games above/below .500 since 1901: Each line is a single season
2016 White Sox: Weathering a rough patch
The White Sox rode an excellent stretch from their starting pitching staff to a 23-10 start through 33 games, a start to the season equaled by only seven Sox teams since 1901. But while Chris Sale has continued to be amazing, the back end of their rotation has fallen off considerably.
Going into Tuesday, the 2016 Sox are 27-19, good enough for first place in the division. Thirty other White Sox teams have had an equal or better record through 46 games, which is not as exclusive a club as the pace they were setting before. Still, first place is first place, even though the Sox have fallen back towards the pack in a competitive AL Central.
Games above/below .500 since 1901: Each line is a single season
Source: Tribune analysis of Baseball-Reference.com data
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