After clinching on Thursday, the Chicago White Sox are headed back to the postseason for the first time since 2021, completing a historic turnaround just two years after an MLB-record 121-loss season.
With a win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, the 2026 Chicago White Sox have officially clinched a spot in Major League Baseball's postseason.
The White Sox are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, setting a historic precedent in the process.
No team in MLB history had ever lost 100 or more games in back-to-back seasons and followed it up with a postseason appearance. The White Sox have managed to do it after losing 100 or more games in three consecutive seasons, including a 2024 campaign in which they lost an MLB-record 121 games.
And yet, here they are. Two years later, securing their 82nd victory of the season on Thursday and guaranteed themselves a shot in October.
The turnaround becomes even more remarkable when considering how quickly it happened. This wasn't a veteran roster built to capitalize on a closing window. The White Sox have reached this point while simultaneously developing a young core that they hope can sustain success well beyond 2026.
Thursday's win in Kansas City was a fitting representation of the White Sox season as a whole. Seven of the nine players in the starting lineup have less than two years of MLB experience under their belts.
David Sandlin, Thursday's starting pitcher, is a rookie getting his first extended look in the big leagues as a regular member of the starting rotation.
This team has been heavily reliant on young talent all year, and it was young talent that delivered again on Thursday. Kyle Teel shined at the plate, while Sandlin delivered a quality start, something that has been hard to come by for White Sox pitchers recently.
There are still three games remaining on the regular season schedule and more work to be done for the White Sox. All they've secured is a postseason berth, but winning the AL Central remains the priority.
It's the difference between being the No. 6 seed and playing in the Wild Card Series on the road or being the No. 2 seed, bypassing the first round of the playoffs entirely and securing home-field advantage in the ALDS.
The White Sox will need to pull even with the Guardians to take home the AL Central title. They entered play on Thursday one game behind Cleveland.
This White Sox team deserves to celebrate its accomplishment, but it's back to work tomorrow. The White Sox return to Chicago to host the Colorado Rockies with an AL Central crown still within reach.
