Updated 2026 MLB Playoffs Bracket Picture and Standings After White Sox Clinch Berth

The Chicago White Sox's rebuild has paid off with a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason.

Chicago clinched its playoff berth on Thursday with a 9-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, which happened just moments before the Chicago Cubs also secured a spot..

***Indicates clinched division and first-round bye

This marks the White Sox first playoff appearance since 2021 and just their third overall dating back to the 2009 season.

It was just two years ago that the White Sox set the modern-era MLB record for losses in a season when they finished 41-121. Their minus-306 run differential was the second-worst by a team in the 21st century.

Things weren't much better in 2025 as the White Sox finished 60-102, marking their third consecutive year with at least 100 losses. They have already set a new record for most wins by a team coming off at least three straight 100-loss seasons.

Amid all of those struggles, though, the front office did make several good moves that paid off with their success in 2026. Chase Meidroth and Miguel Vargas were acquired in separate 2024 trades. Colson Montgomery and Sean Burke were both 2021 draftees.

Tristan Peters was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays last December for a player to be named later. Munetaka Murakami signed a two-year contract with the White Sox after being a superstar in Japan.

Vargas, Peters and Murakami were All-Star selections this season. They are also a big reason why the White Sox rank sixth in home runs and fifth in runs scored.

If the White Sox have a deep run in October, it will likely be on the strength of that lineup because the rotation is still a work-in progress. Burke has been terrific as the No. 1 of the group. Their bullpen is has a top-10 ERA if they can get to that unit in a close game.

There is still work for Chicago to do to fill out the roster for this team to become a top-tier AL contender, but the success in 2026 is a huge sign of progress for a franchise that had been so non-competitive for the previous three years.