Let’s face it — the Chicago White Sox haven’t exactly been the poster team for positivity this season. From on-field struggles to the endless noise around their potential stadium relocation, it’s been a rollercoaster… and not the fun kind. But wait — not everything is gloom and doom on the South Side. Amid all the chaos, the franchise seems to have stumbled upon something a bit more, well… divine. 

Ever since Pope Leo XIV became the head of the Catholic Church, his favorite MLB team has been widely discussed. However, the Pope soon brought an end to all the debates, confirming that he has been a staunch White Sox fan, and guess what? He has done it yet again! And this time, he has carried his love for the team outside the United States. 

Pope Leo XIV made his general audience appearance in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Wednesday, June 11. To everyone’s surprise (or maybe not!), he was seen wearing a black White Sox cap clearly showcasing his immense allegiance to the franchise. Notably, this is not the first time that his love for the White Sox is seen in the public domain. In fact, the fandom dates back decades.

Long before he became the head of the Catholic Church, Robert Prevost proved his allegiance to the pinstripes. In a video that went viral, he was seen among a group of fans at the Rate Field along with his brother John during the 2005 World Series. He was seen in a subtle but unmistakable White Sox jersey — clearly an intriguing aspect of history that very few knew. 

For the unversed, there were some debates surrounding whether the Pope was a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan. However, his brother, John Prevost, chimed in on the debate and cleared the air. “They had it wrong. He’s Sox, and then the radio announced Cubs, and that’s not true,” John Prevost shared earlier. And with yet another outing in White Sox merch, the Pope has just proved it again! But when it comes to the franchise, they have been struggling quite a lot.

The White Sox have lost 44 of the 77 games they have played this season so far and are currently at the bottom of their division. Besides, they have a win-loss ratio of 5-5 in their last 10 matches.  However, to overcome challenges, they called a surprise prospect, and he proved his mettle!

White Sox Pitcher Grant Taylor Makes Stunning MLB Debut

In a move to overcome their poor slump, the White Sox made a promising change. They called up right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor from Double-A Birmingham. The 23-year-old demonstrated some dominant game for Birmingham earlier this season and made a statement that prompted the team to make the bold move. And just like a promising star, Taylor did not disappoint. 

He entered the game as the White Sox led the Astros 4-1 in the seventh, replacing fellow rookie Shane Smith. Remember, Smith allowed just one earned run across six innings, and hence, the responsibility was big for Taylor. He threw just 12 pitches, 10 of which were for strikes, to retire three batters. Four of his pitches zipped in at 100 mph or faster, with the fastest being a 101.5 mph throw. With a mix of cutter and curveball, he also proved that he has got variety and that he is in the Major League to stay and dominate! But the road is tough for the White Sox.

While the franchise is making a noticeable attempt to recover from the slump and rebuild the team amid adversities, the way is filled with challenges. Will the White Sox make the impossible happen ahead of the playoffs? Well, that remains to be seen.