Chicago Cubs’ Frank Schwindel, right, scores past St. Louis Cardinals catcher Andrew Knizner during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo / Jeff Roberson)

The Chicago Cubs hired Carter Hawkins as general manager on Friday, dipping into Cleveland’s front office in an effort to bolster their own player development system.

Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve celebrates scoring against the Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning during Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

Led by their October-tested stars, the Houston Astros are going back to the AL Championship Series for the fifth straight year.

Chicago White Sox’s Carlos Rodon throws a short pitching session after Game 4 of an ALDS baseball game was postponed due to a forecast of inclement weather Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in Chicago. The makeup game is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. (AP Photo / Charles Rex Arbogast)

The Houston Astros found themselves in familiar territory Monday, brushing aside comments by Chicago White Sox reliever Ryan Tepera after he implied they stole signs while winning the first two games of the AL Division Series in their ballpark.

Chicago White Sox’s players warm up during a baseball workout for the American League Divisions Series, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Chicago. The White Sox host the Houston Astros in Game 3 on Sunday.(AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

The Chicago White Sox hired Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa hoping he would oversee a deep postseason run and maybe lead them to their second World Series championship since 1917. They did not see themselves making another quick exit. But that’s exactly what they’re staring at unless a sudden turnaround is coming.

Chicago White Sox fans are brimming with excitement as the team heads into the playoffs, cheering on their team at a Monday rally. 

“This year we’re on the precipice of something fairly special,” said Chicago White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn, who was the chief architect of the team’s five-yearlong rebuild that saw dozens of strategic trades, draft choices and free agent signings. 

Chicago Cubs' Trayce Thompson throws his helmet after striking out swinging during the fourth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals in Chicago, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

The surging St. Louis Cardinals emphatically matched a team record with their 14th straight win on Friday night, pounding the Chicago Cubs 12-4 in the second game of a doubleheader behind Tyler O’Neill’s three-run homer and a pair of solo shots by Lars Nootbaar.

Chicago White Sox’s Eloy Jimenez, right, celebrates with Leury Garcia after Jimenez hit a solo home run in the second inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo / Tony Dejak)

Chicago, a wild-card team last year, is going to the postseason in consecutive years for the first time. The White Sox are in their first season under Tony La Russa, who will turn 77 on Oct. 4.

An aerial photo taken with a drone shows the baseball field at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa. (Tannen Maury / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock)

Nostalgia has never been so expensive. Baseball celebrates the myth of its rural roots Thursday when the New York Yankees meet the Chicago White Sox in a game adjacent to the field in rural Dyersville, Iowa, where the iconic 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” was filmed.

Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo sits on the bench during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Charles Rex Arbogast)

The New York Yankees acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo for two minor leaguers Thursday in their second major trade this week for desperately needed left-handed bats.

Two guardians rest on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo / Tony Dejak)
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Cleveland’s new name was inspired by the large landmark stone edifices — referred to as traffic guardians — that flank both ends of the Hope Memorial Bridge, which connects downtown to Ohio City.

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross stands in the dugout during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo / Gene J. Puskar)
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The Chicago Cubs are concerned about a possible COVID-19 outbreak after two coaches tested positive for the virus and three relievers were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list.

Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu (79) high-fives Yermin Mercedes (73) after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of an MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Friday, April 2, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. Mercedes, Tim Anderson, and Luis Robert (88) also scored. (AP Photo / Ashley Landis)

Yermín Mercedes got his first five major league hits and drove in four runs, and José Abreu hit a grand slam for the Chicago White Sox in their 12-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

People walk their dog outside of Wrigley Field on opening day for the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, April 1, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Shafkat Anowar)

The U.S. moved closer Thursday toward vaccinating 100 million Americans in a race against an uptick in COVID-19 cases that is fueling fears of another nationwide surge just as the major league baseball season starts and thousands of fans return to stadiums.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the return of fans to baseball stadiums with a video posted Monday, March 8, 2021 on social media that showed her playing catch with Cubs mascot Clark and Sox mascot Southpaw. (Credit: Chicago’s Mayor’s Office)

As the spread of COVID-19 slows, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that fans would soon be allowed back in the stands at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. But the ballpark experience will be significantly different.

This screen grab from a Zoom call shows New York Mets general manager Jared Porter Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. (Zoom via AP, File)

Mets general manager Jared Porter was fired Tuesday after sending graphic, uninvited text messages and images to a female reporter in 2016 when he was working for the Chicago Cubs in their front office.