HOUSTON -- The year was 2005. The date was October 26.
And it was Juan Uribe, Paul Konerko, Bobby Jenks and Orlando Palmeiro who were involved in a seminal piece of White Sox history.
Palmeiro’s slow-roller up the middle was fielded by Uribe at shortstop, who threw to Konerko at first base, completing the game’s final out, the save for Jenks, the 1-0 victory for the White Sox and the four-game World Series sweep over the Astros. It took place in the venue now known as Daikin Park.
So, why is this moment important to the 2026 White Sox, who take on the Astros back in Houston during the American League Wild Card Series? It represents the last playoff series victory for the South Siders.
That’s right, the last playoff series victory of any kind. Many of the young talent on this current White Sox playoff roster weren’t old enough to think of careers in baseball just short of 21 years ago.
“I would have been three,” said White Sox outfielder Sam Antonacci. “So, I don’t even know what I was doing.”
“Twenty years ago?” fellow outfielder Tristan Peters responded, while thinking back in time. “I was six.”
There hasn’t been a plethora of playoff chances since ‘05 for the White Sox, who have been in various states of rebuilds since the 2016 offseason.
Following that exhilarating championship run, the White Sox won 90 games in 2006, but they didn’t make the playoffs. They lost 90 in ‘07 and returned to the postseason via the thrilling Blackout Game victory over the Twins during an AL Central tiebreaker in Game 163 in ‘08.
They were missing Carlos Quentin, a bona fide AL Most Valuable Player candidate before breaking his right wrist at the start of September, and were eliminated in four games by the Rays in the Division Series. Playoffs didn’t return to the South Side until ‘20, during the COVID-shortened campaign, when the White Sox lost in three in Oakland.
In ‘21, the White Sox were eliminated in four by the Astros in the Division Series, marking their last postseason foray. Little things could have made a difference going into all those competitions.
Having Quentin in ‘08. Beating a Cubs team resting many of its starters on the last day of the regular season to get the two seed and home field in ‘20. And finishing above the Astros overall in ‘21 to gain a similar home-field edge.
Cleveland finished the ‘26 regular season with a 24-11 kick, while the White Sox went 12-13 in September, ultimately giving the Guardians a one-game edge in the AL Central and five days without games until Saturday. Here’s the best bit of news about all this information concerning the ‘26 White Sox: They don’t care.
Their focus isn’t on what happened almost 21 years ago. Their focus really isn’t on what happened almost 21 minutes ago, to be honest. They don’t worry about a 2-5 showing against the Astros this year or a 1-3 stretch at Daikin Park. They aren’t worried about this playoff run potentially being the start of something special for years to come, as was talked about, but never materialized with the last couple of playoff periods.
“You have to take care of the first one,” Antonacci said. “Whatever happens in the first one, you put it to the side and go about a gameplan for the second one. Take it one game at a time, one inning at a time, one pitch at a time and try to win each pitch.
“Everyone is just focused on now. Couldn’t really tell you who won the World Series last year, if you asked me. You don’t know it off the top of your head.”
Antonacci paused for a second, and realized it was the Dodgers, who soon will begin a quest for a three-peat.
“But you don’t think about, ‘This team won the World Series last year,’” Antonacci said. “Maybe some people think like that, but no one remembers it. They will remember it for a few days after, and then the new season starts and the sole focus is on the season.”
“Certainly this player group, they have competed so well all season,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “And to be rewarded with an opportunity to play in the playoffs, this group is as fearless as any group I’ve been around. We’ll get it kickstarted, and we’ll see where it takes us.”
One goal quietly exists beyond winning Game 1 on Tuesday for this fun and exciting crew: Get playoff baseball back to Rate Field. The supportive fans deserve that chance. That goal means winning the organization’s first playoff series since Steve Perry, the iconic lead singer of Journey, was standing in the White Sox celebratory clubhouse in Oct. '05.
"Don’t Stop Believin’" seems to fit this ‘26 crew.