The Chicago White Sox are headed to the MLB playoffs for the first time in five years. With a victory over Kansas City on Thursday afternoon, the south-siders have locked up their spot in October. But with three games to go and just one game separating them from Cleveland in the American League Central, there’s still work to be done. Between two undecided divisions and a Red Sox team struggling down the stretch, the seeding in the American League still has several possibilities entering the final weekend of the regular season, and there’s still a world where the White Sox have to deal with a Boston team that’s given them all sorts of trouble in 2026.
With three games to go, the Red Sox currently hold a record of 85-74 and have the second Wild Card spot. The Guardians, at 83-76, lead the central over the White Sox, who are 82-77, by one game. The Guardians will play the Royals for their final series of the season, with the Red Sox hosting the Cubs and the White Sox hosting the Rockies. Based on tiebreakers, there is no way for the White Sox to pass Boston as the second wild card and face the Yankees in the Wild Card round. But that is not the case for the Guardians.
A path to a White Sox-Red Sox ALDS matchup is still on the table
In a situation where the White Sox sweep the Rockies, the Guardians take two out of three from the Royals, and the Red Sox are swept by the Cubs, the teams would all finish with a record of 85-77. The White Sox would win the AL Central and the second-seed because they own the tiebreaker over the Guardians, and Cleveland would be the second Wild Card team with the tiebreaker over Boston. This would send the Guardians to Yankee Stadium for the Wild Card series, while Boston would play on the road against the AL West winner, either the Astros or Rangers. The White Sox would receive a bye, but would await the winner of the series between Boston and the AL West champion, opening the door to a potential division series matchup against the Red Sox.
Correction -- Almost there, but not officially Yankees/Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Series yet. See below:
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) September 24, 2026
If CWS wins out, they're 85-77. CLE could also finish 85-77 by going 3-1. And then if BOS loses out, they're 85-77. CLE would have to win tomorrow's CLE-BOS game for that…
The Red Sox may not be the terrifying powerhouse they seemed like they might be at the beginning of the summer, but it’s a terrifying matchup for a White Sox team that finished 0-7 against Boston this year. The Red Sox have struggled to hit the ball down the stretch and have gone 3-6 in their past nine games, but they feature a strong starting rotation that has given the White Sox a lot of trouble. It seems like a matchup the White Sox would rather avoid, with teams they’ve played fairly well against like Cleveland and Texas among other possible matchups.
The White Sox can only control what they can control. They have three more games against the Colorado Rockies, a team they should be able to beat, to finish the season. They’ll need help from the Royals to win the AL Central, but it’s a division that could come down to the season’s final day. With a lot still up in the air, White Sox fans can take comfort in knowing that Chicago will be there no matter what. Whether the playoffs will begin Tuesday in Texas or next Saturday in Chicago remains to be seen, but the White Sox will be playing in the Postseason in 2026, and that’s something to celebrate.
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