Cubs pitcher roots for White Sox

Colin Rea openly told the Sun-Times he's rooting for the White Sox to reach the World Series against the Cubs. He appreciates how hard they play and their quick turnaround.

“"I'm rooting for them because I think it would be cool to be Cubs-White Sox in the World Series," Rea told the Sun-Times.”

White Sox historic turnaround

The Sox are trying to become the first team ever to reach the postseason after losing 100-plus games in three straight seasons. They're also chasing their first division title after a 100-loss season.

Rea watches Sox games closely

The Cubs pitcher regularly watches White Sox highlights and games, including Saturday's dramatic ninth-inning go-ahead homer by Randal Grichuk against the Cardinals.

“"I turned it on in the eighth, so I turned it on at the perfect time."”

Family baseball tradition

Rea watches games with his four children, ages 9, 7, 5, and 3. As soon as they get home from the field, they turn on the game and watch highlights together.

“"As soon as we get home from the field, it's turn the game on, and we watch all the highlights. They love it."”

Personal ties to Sox manager

Rea played with White Sox manager Will Venable in 2015 with the San Diego Padres, giving him a direct connection to the team's leadership.

Brewers connections run deep

Rea worked with Sox bench coach Walker McKinven with the Milwaukee Brewers and is good friends with Sox reliever Bryan Hudson, whom he also played with in Milwaukee.

Grichuk's clutch moment impressed Rea

Rea was captivated by Randal Grichuk's two-strike, two-out homer that gave the Sox a crucial win. He praised how Grichuk backspin the ball perfectly despite being beaten by the pitch.

“"He did a good job where he kind of got beat by it, but he backspun it perfectly."”

Sox fell from first place

The White Sox dropped out of first place Wednesday with a 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians but remain in wild-card position as the season winds down.

“"I was watching that game today. That was tough."”

Baseball fan beyond the field

Rea's passion for baseball extends far beyond his role as a Cubs pitcher. He actively follows games, studies highlights, and shares his enthusiasm with his children.

Cubs-White Sox World Series dream

For Rea, the ultimate scenario would be a Cubs-White Sox World Series matchup. It would be a historic all-Chicago championship that would captivate the entire city.