Chicago White Sox Gift Pope Leo XIV Team-Themed Pope Hat

The Chicago White Sox are present in the Vatican.

The White Sox on Thursday posted a picture of Pope Leo XIV with a White Sox-themed cap to their social media platforms. The hat was gifted to him by the White Sox, with Father Tom McCarthy to Leo's right in the photo.

The hat Chicago sent Pope Leo was a giveaway at the team's Aug. 11 game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Leo became the Pope in May 2025. At the time, there was raging debate among Chicago baseball fans over whether Pope Leo, who's from Chicago, was a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan. After a furious, back-and-forth argument, a picture surfaced of Pope Leo wearing a White Sox hat at the 2005 World Series, which was the team's last championship triumph. Case settled: The man supports the South Siders.

As for how the Pope's hometown team is faring, the White Sox have scored 21 runs over their last two games and won three of their last four. They're 70-63, good for the No. 2 seed in the American League and a 2.5-game lead on the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central.

Does Chicago being on pace to both finish with a winning record and make the playoffs for the first time since 2021 have anything to do with Pope Leo's influence? The evidence is mounting.