From 121 Losses to October Chaos: The White Sox Just Sent the Astros Packing

What a turnaround this has been for the Chicago White Sox. A franchise that was basically the punchline of baseball not that long ago just walked into Houston and swept the Astros right out of the postseason. Chicago took Game 1 by a score of 6-3 and then came right back in Game 2 and beat them 7-3, finishing off the Wild Card Series without even needing a third game. And considering where this organization has been the last few years, I don’t think this should just be viewed as the White Sox beating a mediocre Astros team. Chicago suddenly looks like one of those young teams that might not know they’re supposed to be intimidated by October.

We have to start with Houston, though, because I still can’t believe an 81-81 baseball team was hosting a playoff series. I understand how divisions work. They won the AL West, congratulations. Hang the banner. But there is something hilarious about playing exactly .500 baseball for six months and being rewarded with October baseball at home. The Astros became the first team in MLB history to reach the postseason without a winning record, and Chicago made pretty quick work of correcting that situation. And yes, before Astros fans get mad at me, I’m never going to forget the cheating scandal either. Sorry. That one is staying on the résumé forever.

The bigger story, though, is Chicago. This organization lost 121 games in 2024. One hundred and twenty-one. They followed that with another 100-loss season in 2025, their third straight year reaching triple-digit losses. Now here we are in 2026 and the White Sox just finished 84-78, made the postseason and won a playoff series for the first time since they won the World Series in 2005. Baseball rebuilds can feel endless when you're watching them happen, but this is about as dramatic of a turnaround as you're ever going to see. The White Sox went from being historically bad to playing meaningful October baseball in what feels like the blink of an eye.

And they didn't exactly squeak through this series, either. Chicago controlled Game 1 from the beginning, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after two innings and eventually building it to 5-0 before Houston finally showed some life. Colson Montgomery went deep, Sam Antonacci drove in a pair, and Chicago's pitching staff kept Houston from ever completely getting back into the game. The Astros made it a little interesting late, but the White Sox never really felt like they had lost control. A 6-3 road playoff win was about as good of an opening statement as this young team could have made.

Then they came out for Game 2 and basically said, "Yeah, we're not staying in Houston another night." The White Sox hung four runs on Hunter Brown in the first inning and immediately put the Astros in desperation mode. Houston did fight back with three solo home runs and eventually cut it to 4-3, which was probably the first moment all night where White Sox fans started getting a little uncomfortable. Then Chase Meidroth stepped up in the sixth and launched the biggest home run of his career, a three-run shot that pushed the lead to 7-3 and basically told Houston to start making offseason plans.

That was the part of this series that impressed me the most. Every time Houston had a chance to make things uncomfortable, Chicago answered. They didn't look like a team that was just happy to be there after everything they've gone through. They looked loose, aggressive and completely comfortable playing postseason baseball on the road. There wasn't some dramatic ninth-inning escape or a Game 3 where anything could happen. Chicago went into Houston, won twice and got out.

Now comes the really interesting part. The White Sox advance to play the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, and I'm not ready to say this is just a cute little turnaround story anymore. This team can make some noise. October baseball has always had a way of rewarding teams that get hot at the right time, especially teams with young players who aren't carrying around years of postseason baggage. Chicago is playing confidently, they're getting contributions throughout the lineup, and after everything this franchise has endured over the last few seasons, they are basically playing with house money at this point.

From 121 losses to celebrating a playoff series victory two years later. That's insane. The White Sox still have a long way to go if they want this run to become something truly special, but they've already accomplished something nobody would have believed possible when they were getting embarrassed on a nightly basis in 2024. The rebuild isn't some future promise anymore. It's here.

And Houston? An 81-81 division champion with home-field advantage getting swept out of the Wild Card round feels about right.

See you in Cleveland.