Tick-tock, the clock doesn’t stop.
The major-league trade deadline arrives at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and the list of presumed buyers around the league is long. The White Sox are on it, even though to this point they’ve underwhelmed at every turn and seem no more capable of breaking free of .500 than they did in 1997, when they infamously waved the white flag at the deadline to the great chagrin of their fans. Anybody else remember how fun that was? No need to answer out loud.
The Sox could use some bullpen help and some left-handed hitting, or anything else that might inject urgency into a team that seems destined for — at best — a clobbering from a real World Series contender in October.
And then there are the Cubs, who are attempting to sell everything that isn’t nailed down. Aside from the whos, wheres and whens, one wonders about the why: Why should fans continue to care? The next couple of months for the ragtag squad that remains likely will strain the romance between ticket buyers and Wrigley Field.
If the Sox were as good as most of us thought they’d be, this deadline business would be a lot more tense and exciting. If the Cubs had stayed in win-now mode instead of capitulating in 2021, their division might have been winnable in 2022, too. But here we are, a baseball town with one weak buyer and one sad seller. And so it goes.
Here’s what’s happening:
MON 1
Royals at White Sox (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)
A last-place foe is just what the doctor ordered, or is it? The Sox are 3-4 against KC this year and never have an easy time of it — against anybody — at home.
TUE 2
MLB trade-deadline coverage (2 p.m., MLB)
Who’s headed where? What does it all mean? And where in the order are the Sox going to bat Juan Soto?
Cubs at Cardinals (6:45 p.m., Marquee)
You have to hand it to the Redbirds, who never quit on a season. And if you don’t believe that, watch 40-year-old Adam Wainwright take the bump for his first and only big-league team.
Wings at Sky (8 p.m., Ch. 26.2)
Two weeks to go in the regular season, and the champs have the best record in the league. Why don’t all Chicago teams take this approach?
WED 3
Royals at White Sox (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)
Lance Lynn starts for the eighth time since his last — and only — victory. If he keeps this up, he might not receive as many Cy Young votes as he got last year.
Cubs at Cardinals (6:45 p.m., Marquee)
It’s anybody’s guess who will be playing where for the visitors tonight. Manager David Ross deserves a raise just for filling out an entire lineup card.
THU 4
Jaguars at Raiders (7 p.m., Ch. 5)
It’s always special when the NFL kicks off its preseason in Canton, Ohio. Speaking of which, has the Pro Football Hall of Fame completed its Urban Meyer wing yet?
FRI 5
“ESPN 8: The Ocho” (7 a.m., ESPN2)
“Seldom-seen sports” including kickball, air guitar and — of course — dodgeball take the stage throughout a most unusual programming day. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton.
White Sox at Rangers (7:05 p.m., NBCSCH)
Nothing seems more automatic these days than Dylan Cease blowing away another opposing lineup. Wait, we didn’t just jinx him, did we?
SAT 6
Everton vs. Chelsea (11:30 a.m., USA)
Grab your scarf, put that little British accent back in your voice and high-tail it to the nearest soccer pub — the new Premier League season begins today.
Marlins at Cubs (1:20 p.m., Marquee, FS1)
Say this for these Cubs, whoever they are — they’d probably have managed to squeeze out more than one run against Miami in the 2020 wild-card series.
Fire at Charlotte FC (6 p.m., Ch. 9)
The lowest-scoring teams in the Eastern Conference somehow are in contention for playoff berths anyway. Goals are totally overrated.
SUN 7
Sun at Sky (noon, Ch. 7)
They go at it again one week after the Sky — sans Candace Parker — beat the Sun 95-92 in overtime on the road. If it’s all the same to Parker, we’d just as soon see her out there this time.
