White Sox Clinch Playoff Berth After Historic Turnaround

The Chicago White Sox have clinched an American League postseason spot, marking a historic achievement as the first team in Major League Baseball to qualify for the playoffs after suffering back-to-back seasons with at least 100 losses.

The Southsiders' journey to the postseason is particularly remarkable given their recent performance. Chicago lost a modern MLB record of 121 games in 2024 and experienced three consecutive seasons with 100 or more defeats. They are now one of only three MLB teams to rebound from a 100-loss season to make the playoffs the following year.

This marks the White Sox's first postseason appearance since 2021, when they secured the AL Central title with a 93-69 regular-season record. Following their 9-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, which clinched their playoff berth, Chicago's record stands at 82-77. This represents an improvement of 22 wins compared to their 2025 season, with three games remaining in the regular season.

The White Sox are still in contention for the AL Central division title and a potential first-round bye. They trail the Cleveland Guardians by a half-game, with Cleveland holding an 82-76 record. Chicago possesses the tiebreaker advantage over Cleveland, meaning they would win the division if both teams finish with identical records.

"They have belief in themselves, belief in each other," White Sox manager Will Venable said, according to MLB.com. "That can carry you a long way. ... These guys continue to believe and whatever the ending is to this one, we all can agree that from the beginning, this group has as much self-belief as any group I’ve seen."

The White Sox will conclude their regular season with a three-game series at home against the Colorado Rockies.