AL WILD CARD SERIES: WHITE SOX VS ASTROS

September 30, 2026

Chase Meidroth

Daikin Park

Chicago White Sox

Pregame Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right. Who has the first question for Chase?

Q. When things are going as well as they are for you right now, what is it that's working? What makes you click when things are clicking?

CHASE MEIDROTH: I mean, you're playing the game to win every single day. I think when you keep that the main focus, I think a lot of good things happen, and our staff and our players have done a great job of that.

Q. We've asked you about this all year, and you guys talked about it yesterday, but the energy you guys play with, the camaraderie, the fight for each other, Grant was saying yesterday that you guys could use that to your advantage. Do you see that even playing now one game into the postseason?

CHASE MEIDROTH: I mean, yeah, there's a ton of energy and try to make it as much as, like, another game as possible. It almost feels like we've been playing playoff games all year. The energy and the way that we've been fighting every day, it made yesterday a lot easier for us.

But yeah, going back to a lot of the comments that we talk about this is kind of like a fraternity and a college team is very much true. We all love each other and we're playing for each other every day.

Q. Derek Shomon often talks about success leaving clues, but you faced Hunter Brown twice. He's been tough. Are there even lessons to take away from struggling against a very good pitcher that you guys can try to apply or take into today?

CHASE MEIDROTH: Yeah, he is very good. He's had success against us. But, yeah, just continue good at-bats and try to get the bat to the next guy. It's a 9-on-1 situation, so we're going to keep competing, keep fighting and, yeah, we're not going to make it easy on him.

Q. How much do you guys feed off of Sam and his energy, his reactions at the top of the order?

CHASE MEIDROTH: He's awesome. He's the best. I've loved him since he stepped foot in the locker room. He's a grinder. He's competed his whole life to get to where he's at, and so he's earned every bit of this. And, yeah, he's one of the fire guys that gets us going.

Q. Was there any initial adrenaline, emotion, kind of thought when you stepped out for the anthem or anything like that in your first postseason game? I mean, it's something you've worked for your whole life.

CHASE MEIDROTH: Yeah, I think for all of us in there it was, you know, one of those things that you grow up dreaming about. Yeah, just any adrenaline like any other baseball game I think that we played in September, I feel like we felt this for a while. Yeah, it was good to finally get it going and I think we're looking to keep it going today.

Q. How would you describe what you saw from Grant last night?

CHASE MEIDROTH: I mean, he was unbelievable. I think that was his career high in pitches in the big leagues. Him being able to take the ball like that is incredible. But, yeah, he's a gamer and he's been that piece for us all year.

Q. Based on what he said about Sam, do you see yourself as similar players in the way you kind of both grind and are pesky at-bats for pitchers, kind of a little bit of change of pace to the guys who are, you know, looking to drive the ball in the air, but some of the guys who can work counts, work walks, shoot singles? Do you see your offensive styles as similar at all?

CHASE MEIDROTH: Yeah, I see us personality-wise very similar. Yeah, just competing every day. We got a lot of guys in there that do the same thing. We got a lot of guys that can beat you in several different ways. So I think working at-bats, driving the baseball is something we all do and, yeah, him at the top of the order yesterday having those pesky at-bats was awesome for us. But, yeah, he's more than capable to make a game 1-0 also.

Q. I know you've relied a lot on Andrew this season and I know how interesting three-game set can be. Is there anything that he's helped with the younger guys just trying to navigate, especially in this series in particular and what you can expect?

CHASE MEIDROTH: Yeah, the biggest thing yesterday was fired up to play in the postseason and he was just like it's another day, and having that was huge. Him always just kind of keeping everyone at equilibrium has been awesome all year, and not getting too high, not getting too low. But, yeah, he's a huge presence for all the younger guys in the locker room.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thanks for coming in, Chase.

CHASE MEIDROTH: Thank you, guys.