Cubs, Sox out but there's still local flavor in MLB playoffs
The Cubs' playoff run again ended before it even got started.
The White Sox managed to win Game 1 of the wild-card round in their first postseason appearance in 12 years, but they dropped the next two at Oakland and headed home.
A shortened regular season transitioned into very brief playoff appearances by both of Chicago's major-league clubs, but the game goes on.
Eight teams are still vying for the World Series championship, and all but one of them have players with ties to the Cubs and Sox.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Los Angeles vs. San Diego
Dodgers
Outfielder Terrance Gore played in 14 games for the Cubs in 2018 and had 6 stolen bases.
Reliever Dylan Floro pitched in 3 games for the Cubs in 2017.
Mark Prior is L.A.'s pitching coach. He played for the Cubs from 2002-06 after being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 draft.
Brant Brown is the Dodgers' hitting coach. He played for the Cubs in 1996-98 and again in 2000 and is best known for dropping a flyball against the Brewers in a critical game late in the 1998 season.
Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. has quickly emerged as one of the best players in baseball, much to the White Sox's chagrin.
On June 4, 2016, Sox general manager Rick Hahn traded Tatis to San Diego for veteran starter James Shields. It will go down as one of the worst deals in franchise history.
Padres reliever Pierce Johnson was the Cubs' first-round draft pick (No. 43 overall) in 2012. Five years later, he pitched 1 game out of the bullpen.
Larry Rothschild is San Diego's pitching coach. In his 46th season in professional baseball, he was the Cubs' pitching coach from 2002-10.
Atlanta vs. Miami
Braves
Catcher Tyler Flowers played for the White Sox from 2009-15.
Sal Fasano, a Hoffman Estates High School product and 11-year major-league veteran, is Atlanta's catching coach.
Marlins
Closer Brandon Kintzler pitched for the Cubs in 2018-19.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
New York vs. Tampa Bay
Yankees
Closer Aroldis Chapman helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series before signing right back with New York.
Shortstop Gleyber Torres has become a star after being traded from the Cubs to the Yankees in '16.
DJ LeMahieu, who led the majors with a .354 batting average this season, played for the Cubs in 2011.
Outfielder Mike Tauchman, a Fremd High School product and rising star for the Yankees last season, tailed off a bit this year.
Third base coach Phil Nevin hit 12 home runs for the Cubs in 2006.
Athletics vs. Astros
A's
The Athletics are loaded with ex-White Sox players.
Chris Bassitt, who has become Oakland's No. 1 starter, and shortstop Marcus Semien were acquired by the A's in a trade for Jeff Samardzija after the 2014 season.
Frankie Montas pitched for the Sox in 2015 and reliever J.B. Wendelken was a minor-leaguer from 2013-15.
Another bullpen arm, Joakim Soria, was with the White Sox in 2018.
Oakland leadoff hitter Tommy La Stella played four seasons with the Cubs (2015-18).
Second baseman Tony Kemp played in 44 games for the Cubs in 2019.
Astros
Manager Dusty Baker was in the Cubs' dugout from 2003-06.
Starter Martin Maldonado caught 4 games for Cubs last year and was traded to Houston for Kemp.
Backup catcher Dustin Garneau played in 1 game for the White Sox in 2018.
Brooks Raley pitched for the Cubs in 2012-13.