The White Sox offense came alive in Tuesday evening’s series opener against the Royals, riding four home runs to a 14-11 victory and moving one step closer to the Postseason. Despite some bullpen struggles allowing Kansas City back into the game, the White Sox offense ruled the day, and a Mets victory over the Texas Rangers put a playoff berth in their sights. With a magic number of two, the White Sox can now clinch a Postseason spot for the first time since 2021 as early as Wednesday night.
Home run No. 33 for Munetaka Murakami! 💥 pic.twitter.com/qcOrQxjetw
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 23, 2026
With a record of 81-76, the White Sox have already made history. Their 81 wins are the most all-time by a team coming off three straight seasons with 100 losses. In addition, clinching a playoff berth would make them the first team ever to make the Postseason after two-straight 100-loss seasons, let alone three. If the White Sox can overcome the one-game deficit and win the division, they’ll be the first team in history to lose 100 games and then win their division the following season. The White Sox remarkable 2026 season has already featured some history, and more could be on the way.
The White Sox need just two more wins to guarantee a spot in the Postseason
The Rangers loss Tuesday dropped their overall record to 78-79, meaning the best record they can possibly finish with is 83-79. The White Sox need just two more wins to reach the 83-win mark, and with the tiebreaker over Texas, make it impossible for the Rangers to pass them. The AL West also remains undecided, and the Houston Astros currently have the same record as the Rangers. In a world where the Rangers win the West and the White Sox are competing with Houston for the Wild Card, 83 wins is still enough. Should the Rangers win the West at 83-79, that means Houston would have to finish 82-80 or worse, because they currently have the tiebreaker over Texas.
The AL Central is still very much in play for the White Sox with just five games to go. They simply need to win one more game than the Guardians and they’ll likely be the 2-seed in the American League and earn an automatic pass to the ALDS. As long as that’s still in play, the White Sox need to keep their foot on the gas and do everything they can to make it happen. But they’re on the verge of gaining some comfortability in the race and guaranteeing that they’ll be in the Wild Card series in a worst-case scenario.
If the White Sox do end up in the Wild Card series, it would benefit them if the Rangers won the West. The Rangers seem to be a much better matchup for the White Sox this season, and they’ve already proven they can win a series in Texas.
Crazy things happen all the time in sports, so the White Sox can’t say it’s over yet, but it’s trending toward a historic postseason appearance becoming a reality for MLB’s most surprising young team. They playoff destiny is in their hands, and it starts Wednesday night in Kansas City.
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