However, the rivalry did not begin in earnest until the 2000s, when the White Sox and Twins consistently battled for the AL Central crown.

The most prominent meeting between the two teams occurred in the 2008 American League Central tie-breaker game, which was necessitated by the two clubs finishing the season with identical records.

The series is of special importance in the Upper Midwest where the White Sox and Twins remain popular teams in areas of Wisconsin and Iowa and the fanbases intersect.

While the series dates back to 1901, the teams became regional rivals after the then-Washington Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins in 1961.

[12] From September 16–18, 2003, Minnesota completed a pivotal three-game sweep of Chicago, holding the White Sox to a combined seven runs and extending its division lead from a half-game to 3+1⁄2 games.

The 2006 season was noted for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen referring to the Twins players as "little piranhas".

[16] Both the Twins and White Sox lost two of three in their final series,[15] forcing Chicago to play a make-up against the Detroit Tigers, which had been rained out earlier in September.

The Twins won the AL Central in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season with a record of 36–24, finishing just one game ahead of the White Sox and the Cleveland Indians.

On a 3–0 count, White Sox catcher Yermín Mercedes hit a home run off of Astudillo to increase the score to 16–4.