Minnesota Twins

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Lore & Background

The rivalry took its modern shape in the 2000s after years of inconsistent play in the 1970s and 1980s. From 2002 to 2004, the Twins won three consecutive division titles with the White Sox finishing second each year. The 2003 season was a turning point; trailing by 7+1⁄2 games at the All-Star Break, Minnesota swept Chicago from September 16–18, holding them to just seven combined runs to extend their lead. Tensions peaked in 2006 when White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen famously referred to Twins players as "little piranhas." The climax arrived on September 30, 2008, forcing a tie-breaker game after both teams finished 88–74. White Sox fans wore black for the "Blackout Game," where Chicago won 1–0 on a Jim Thome home run in the 7th inning.

In Their Own Story

The drama of this rivalry peaked during the 2008 AL Central tie-breaker. After both teams lost two of three in their final series, they were forced into a single game to decide the champion. Chicago won the coin toss for home field advantage, and White Sox starter John Danks pitched eight shutout innings on just three days' rest. In the 7th inning, Jim Thome hit the only run of the game, sending White Sox closer Bobby Jenks to the mound for a save in the 9th. Decades later, on May 17, 2021, tension flared again when Twins position player Willians Astudillo pitched in a blowout. On a 3–0 count with Chicago leading 15–4, Yermín Mercedes hit a home run off him, drawing criticism from his own manager Tony La Russa for violating unwritten rules. The next day, Twins pitcher Tyler Duffey threw behind Mercedes and was ejected for an intentional pitch.

Reader's Guide

Fans of this series trace its roots to the 1961 move when the Washington Senators became the Minnesota Twins. In 1965, the teams finished first and second in the AL standings, with the Twins winning the pennant by seven games. Following the 1969 realignment into the AL West, limited success kept the rivalry dormant until they moved to the newly formed AL Central in 1994. The 2010s saw a cooling period as neither team found consistent success, though Minnesota made playoff appearances in 2017 and 2019. A unique moment occurred on May 3, 2011, when Francisco Liriano threw the only no-hitter in series history, a 1–0 win for the Twins before he was traded to Chicago later that year.

Did You Know?

• The White Sox and Twins have never played each other in the MLB postseason.
• In the 2008 tie-breaker game, White Sox pitcher John Danks pitched eight shutout innings on only three days of rest.
• Francisco Liriano threw the only no-hitter in series history for the Twins on May 3, 2011, before being traded to the White Sox the following season.
• During a 2021 game, Twins pitcher Willians Astudillo allowed a home run to Yermín Mercedes while pitching with his team down 15–4, violating unwritten baseball rules.
• The rivalry intensified in the 2000s when both teams consistently battled for the AL Central title, culminating in the famous 'Blackout Game'.