Chicago White Sox eliminated by a pair of familiar faces

The Chicago White Sox were eliminated from the 2020 postseason, thanks to two familiar faces.

Entering the 2020 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox were a popular pick among writers and fans as a surprise team that could make a lot of noise this year. They did not disappoint.

Unfortunately for the Chicago White Sox, their postseason run came to an end on Thursday night, dropping game three of their Wild Card Series to the Oakland A’s, but not before proving to everyone that this team is going to be a force to reckon with for a very long time in the American League.

Baseball is a small world full of irony, weird coincidences, and instances of past events coming back to haunt teams and players, and the Chicago White Sox 2020 postseason was no exception to these.

Both winning pitchers for the Oakland A’s in this Wild Card Series win over Chicago were pitchers who were once a part of the White Sox organization before being traded at different points.

Facing elimination on Wednesday night, the Oakland A’s sent former University of Akron pitcher Chris Bassitt to the mound to keep their season alive. One of Oakland’s more reliable pitchers over the last two seasons, Bassitt surrendered one run across seven innings of work, striking out five and picking up the victory in his first ever postseason outing.

Bassitt was actually drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 16th round of 2011 MLB draft and eventually traded to Oakland (along with Marcus Semien and others) for starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija and pitcher Michael Ynoa.

Ynoa was a decent reliever for two seasons in Chicago while Samardzija pitched one below-average year with the White Sox.

Game three saw another former Chicago White Sox pitcher get the win, right-handed pitcher Frankie Montas.

A starter for Oakland over the last three seasons, Montas struggled in 2020 to a 5.60 ERA in 11 starts, but pitched two innings of relief on Thursday and was credited as the winning pitcher thanks to a six-run barrage from Oakland in the fourth and fifth inning.

Montas wasn’t directly traded from Chicago to Oakland like Bassitt was, but he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-team deal with Cincinnati that netted Chicago third baseman Todd Frazier. Montas would later be traded to Oakland, along with Jharel Cotton, for Rich Hill and Josh Reddick.

Watching the 2020 season come to an end for the Chicago White Sox hurts. Watching two former White Sox pitchers win for the other team is just enough salt in the wound to sting a little. But no worries, White Sox fans. The future in Chicago is very, very bright.