Chicago White Sox fan Pope Leo XIV is keeping a close eye on the team’s performance this season. White Sox (41-38) are on top of the American League Central standings, a fact Leo XIV is privy to despite his busy schedule as the Bishop of Rome.
Former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski recently met the Pope at the Vatican and gave the last-out ball from Game 1 of the 2005 MLB World Series, a game the Pope attended. The White Sox have not won the World Series since that series sweep of the Houston Astros.
The former MLB catcher talked about his conversations with the Pope in an interview with The New York Times‘ Ken Rosenthal on Thursday. “Oh, I know who you are. You don’t have to introduce yourself,” Pierzynski said of the Pope’s reply when he introduced himself.
Pierzynski was in the Vatican with his wife, daughter and friends. He spent around five minutes with the Pope, and he mentioned the White Sox’s current success as the meeting was about to wrap. The Pope’s reply surprised him.
“It was kind of as I was walking away, I said, ‘Hey, White Sox are in first place,” Pierzynski said. “He just looked at me and goes, ‘Oh, I’m watching and paying attention, don’t worry.’ And he just kind of smiled at me.”
The news of the Pope being an active fan of the White Sox left the baseball world in stitches on social media. Multiple social media profiles posted about the interaction. An X post from Foul Territory, a popular baseball channel, garnered north of 200K views.
Chicago White Sox Secure Series Win Against AL Central Rivals
The three-game AL Central series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians lived up to it’s division rivalry. Chicago won the first two games, but Cleveland bounced back to win Game 3, tying the White Sox at the top of AL Central.
White Sox won Game 1, 6-5, on Monday, courtesy of a dramatic two-run walk-off single by Sam Antonacci. Cleveland entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 5-4 lead before Antonaccis’ single off relief pitcher Cade Smith.
White Sox won Game 2 on Tuesday by a one-run margin, 2-1. Colson Montgomery drew first blood for Chicago with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Cleveland’s Kahlil Watson responded with a solo homer in the fifth.
Miguel Vargas responded in kind with a solo homer in the sixth inning before reliever Sean Newcomb locked the game down with 2.2 scoreless innings, securing the save.
Cleveland avoided a series sweep with an extra-inning 4-3 win on Wednesday. The Guardians entered the bottom of the ninth inning on a 3-1 lead but their bullpen exploded, forcing the game to extra innings.
Watson took the lead for Cleveland in the 10th inning with an RBI single before Shawn Armstrong navigated around a bases-loaded jam to win the game.
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