Petey Halpin turned into an unlikely hero on Wednesday afternoon, blasting a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning to lift the Cleveland Guardians past the Chicago White Sox 6-3 and, with it, into sole possession of first place in the American League Central for the first time since early July. The rubber-game win in a pivotal three-game set flips the division on its head with nine games to go, dropping Chicago into the last AL Wild Card spot.
Halpin, a 24-year-old rookie outfielder who has spent most of 2026 bouncing between Triple-A Columbus and a reserve role in Cleveland, has become an emergency starter down the stretch with regulars Chase DeLauter (wrist) and Angel Martinez (side) both sidelined. The 2020 third-round pick out of St. Francis High School in San Mateo, California, made his MLB debut in the final week of last season and even scored the winning run as a pinch runner in Cleveland’s 2025 postseason clinch game against Texas. Known more for his 70-grade speed and plus center-field defense than his bat, Wednesday’s swing was easily the loudest moment of his young career.
A Sixth-Inning Swing That Flipped the Division
The White Sox appeared in control after Tommy Pham, activated off the injured list earlier in the day, ripped a three-run homer to left-center in the fifth inning to hand Chicago a 3-2 lead off Cleveland starter Parker Messick, who still finished with eight strikeouts. But the Guardians answered immediately. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Halpin turned on a 3-1 sinker from left-hander Sean Newcomb and drove it deep into the right-center field seats for his fourth home run of the season and first since August 21, putting Cleveland ahead 5-3. Jose Ramirez tacked on an RBI double in the same inning to put the finishing touch on a four-run frame that buried Chicago’s rally.
The win completed a series victory for Cleveland (78-75), which took two of three from the White Sox (77-75) and now holds a half-game lead in the AL Central. It’s the first time all season Cleveland has had the division to itself since the morning of July 4, snapping a run in which Chicago held at least a share of first place for roughly 95 days. The White Sox, who have now lost seven of their last nine games, tumble into second place and the final AL Wild Card position as the regular season winds down. Bettors tracking the tightening AL Central race can check the latest MLB odds as both clubs jockey for playoff positioning over the final stretch.
What’s Next in the AL Central Race
Cleveland has nine games remaining and is chasing its third consecutive division title, while Chicago has 10 left on its schedule and now must fight to hold on to a Wild Card berth it didn’t need for most of the summer. Halpin’s emergence as a reliable bat off the bench — and now in the middle of the lineup during a pennant race — adds a new wrinkle for a Guardians club that has leaned heavily on speed, defense, and situational hitting rather than star power to climb back to the top of the standings.
For a player who entered the year projected as a depth outfielder and pinch-running specialist, Wednesday’s homer was a signature moment. Halpin is slashing a modest .217 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 166 at-bats this season, numbers that reflect a part-time role more than everyday production. But in the biggest moment of Cleveland’s season to date, it was Halpin — not one of the club’s established stars — who delivered the swing that sent the Guardians back to the top of the American League Central with the finish line in sight.
