KANSAS CITY – There was a celebration at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday afternoon, and the visiting White Sox were the guests of honor after clinching a playoff spot via a 9-1 victory over the Royals.
It was a celebration wiping away four years of bad baseball, including two seasons in 2022 and 2023 when they were thought of as American League Central favorites going into the campaign and finished well short of their goals. The ensuing two years of rebuilding weren’t any picnic either. Quite the contrary, with at least 100 losses in both.
But this party is what the White Sox hope is the first of many as they make their first move into the postseason since 2021. Here’s a look at some questions surrounding the South Siders as playoff action approaches.
Who makes the postseason roster?
C: Kyle Teel, Jake Rogers
1B: Munetaka Murakami
2B: Chase Meidroth
SS: Colson Montgomery
3B: Miguel Vargas
LF: Sam Antonacci
CF: Tristan Peters
RF: Braden Montgomery
DH: Andrew Benintendi, Randal Grichuk
Reserves: Luisangel Acuña, Tommy Pham, Brenton Doyle
Starting rotation: Sean Burke, Davis Martin, Erick Fedde, Anthony Kay
Bullpen: Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb, Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz, Jordan Hicks, Huascar Brazobán, Trevor Richards
The position player group seems fairly settled. Luis Castillo was placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Thursday’s game, and Brazobán and/or Richards aren’t locks with Thursday winning pitcher David Sandlin also in the picture. The White Sox have a playoff prep camp taking place in Arizona, with every 40-man pitcher not on the active roster in attendance.
Can the White Sox still win the AL Central?
As of Saturday night, the answer once again is “no.” The White Sox dropped a 9-6 decision to the Rockies, the Guardians claimed an 11-5 victory over the Royals and Cleveland is the AL Central champ. The White Sox hold the season-series edge at 7-6, so maybe they will meet again in the Division Series for the ultimate best-of-five battle. First, there’s some Wild Card work to be done by the White Sox.
Who could they face?
They get either the Astros or Rangers, with the AL West champion officially to be decided in the final game of the 2026 regular season on Sunday. Houston has the season-series edge over the White Sox, and the White Sox have the same against Texas. Either way, the White Sox will be on the road.
Postseason Guide
• Current bracket, tiebreakers and more
• Clinch scenarios: AL West | Final NL WC
• Every team that's clinched so far
• Postseason schedule
• FAQ: Tiebreaker rules | Postseason format
When does the postseason begin?
A Wild Card Series for the White Sox has them traveling to Houston or Arlington for a best-of-three set starting Tuesday.
Even without a postseason victory, is this season a success?
Absolutely. General manager Chris Getz spoke of taking “meaningful steps forward” before the 2026 campaign began, and nothing is more meaningful than reaching the playoffs. But with the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox all on the other side of the bracket, the White Sox have a solid chance to push their way into the American League Championship Series and see what happens.
Who gets the Game 1 nod?
Sean Burke would be the choice, but with the right-hander having started and won on Friday against the Rockies, he probably couldn’t go in a Tuesday Wild Card opener. Erick Fedde seems to be the Tuesday choice, but don’t overlook the usage of an opener at any point in the postseason for the White Sox.
Their relievers have thrown at least 1 1/3 innings 213 times this season, surpassing the 2018 Rays (204) for most in a season in MLB history. With Sunday’s game becoming meaningless in the playoff picture, the White Sox can line things up as they desire.
Player to watch
The obvious choices are Murakami, Vargas and Colson Montgomery, who each topped 30 home runs. But don’t overlook Randal Grichuk, who has been as big of a pickup for the playoff-bound White Sox as any in recent memory.
Will Pope Leo XIV attend any playoff games?
It’s a question asked by many White Sox fans and a valid one, considering Robert Prevost attended two World Series contests during the South Siders’ dominant 11-1 postseason run in ‘05. His responsibilities have grown exponentially since that point, but it’s a safe guess to say the White Sox would be happy to have the Dolton, Ill., native at Rate Field for any and all games.