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Many Chicago White Sox fans actually cheered for the team to lose just two years ago.
In late September 2024, the White Sox took the field for their final home series of the season. The attendance was sparse, but those who showed up hoped to see history, as Chicago was one loss away from setting the record for losses in a 162-game season. The White Sox obviously blew them away, winning their last three home games before losing their record 121st game on the road in their next series.
Fast forward to today, and the unthinkable has happened: The White Sox are returning home as heroes.
Chicago will play its first playoff game at home since 2021 on Wednesday. And the White Sox will enter their matchup with the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 in the American League Division Series, one win away from the championship series.
The five years between home playoff games have not been kind to the South Sides fans.
After a respectable 81-81 finish in 2022, Chicago nosedived. The White Sox lost 101 games in 2023, 121 in 2024 and 102 more last year. This season they are the first team to make the playoffs after back-to-back 100-loss seasons – which also means they are the first team to do so after three straight 100-loss seasons.
On Wednesday, the Sox have another chance at history, as they haven’t won a playoff series in front of their home fans since 1906.
The fans have been waiting “120 years, so maybe we can do it this year,” pitcher Grant Taylor, who recorded a run in each of the first two wins against the Guardians, told reporters Monday. “I think it’s going to be incredible. Those fans deserve it. They’ve been with us for three years of 100 losses, and they’ve been a good stick with us this year and given us a lot of support as we’ve gone through this. So to give them a postseason game is very special.
Chicago has turned over most of its team since the 2024 season. Only four hitters and five players were on the roster then and now, per MLB.com. The White Sox have since improved in several ways.
In the offseason, they signed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. Murakami, 26, hit 35 homers in his first MLB regular season, and he added one more through his first four playoff appearances. (Murakami also caught the attention of fans thanks to his enthusiastic postgame interviews.)
Meanwhile, pitchers like Taylor and starter Sean Burke have emerged after being drafted years ago. Taylor had a 2.25 ERA in 84 innings during the regular season. Burke has struck out 185 batters over 32 appearances (including 27 starts) and is 17th among all pitchers in wins over relief.
In addition to an explosive offense that was top 10 in both home runs and slugging percentage during the regular season, the White Sox used a unique pitching strategy that relied heavily on their relievers to throw more innings.
“We knew we had to be different,” general manager Chris Getz told MLB Network this month. “It got stuck in those arms. What’s the way to win? How do we solve today? Often times we got creative with openers. Fortunately, we have some arms that can do some innings.”
(It’s also possible that the team’s success comes from a higher power, as Pope Leo XIV is a fan. “I would like to invoke the Almighty’s many blessings on you and your loved ones,” the pope wrote in a letter to the team in September.)
The man in charge of the dugout is Will Venable, who played in the majors from 2008 to 2016. Venable became Chicago’s manager in October 2024 and has been a key part of the franchise’s turnaround.
“For where the organization was in the pain of those few years in which there were 100-loss seasons, to see the growth and for the fans to have a part of this and be able to celebrate this, it makes me happy for everyone involved with White Sox baseball,” Venable said after the White Sox won in the wild-card round.
As impressive as the revival has been so far, the Sox don’t seem to be simply happy here. Asked in September what Chicago could do in the playoffs, designated hitter Andrew Benintendi told MLB.com that his team was “confident.”
Benintendi added: “We’re stupid enough to think we can win it. So why not?”
