After a nearly four-hour rain delay, the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1 on Sunday, dropping their magic number for a playoff berth to four.

A soft-tissue injury such as a hamstring is better than structural damage such as a knee or ankle. But that doesn’t mean it can’t keep Caleb Williams sidelined for some time.

A blowout win to put the Chicago Cubs on the verge of clinching a playoff spot Sunday was overshadowed by third baseman Alex Bregman taking a foul ball to his face.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears offense resembled the lousy ones his predecessors rolled out all too often.

Random thoughts on the state of sports, from the Cubs and White Sox playoff races to the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club.

It took 56 years, but Pete Crow-Armstrong broke Billy Williams’ Cubs record for home runs by a left-handed hitter. “Ain’t no telling what this kid is going to do in Chicago,” Williams said.

Veteran forward Tyler Bertuzzi is taking his role as a Chicago Blackhawks alternate captain seriously: “It’s an honor to get to wear an ‘A’ and lead by example.”

The Northwestern defense capitalized on a sloppy night at Martin Stadium in a 41-7 rout of Colorado. Up next: the Big Ten opener at defending national champion Indiana.