The last time the White Sox made the playoffs was 2021, when they won the AL Central and lost the Division Series to the Houston Astros, three games to one. Five years later, Chicago is back as the No. 6 seed and opens the 2026 Wild Card Series on Tuesday, September 29, against those same Astros in Houston. In between came a 121 loss season in 2024, the most in modern MLB history. The chart below lists every White Sox postseason appearance.
White Sox postseason history
Every White Sox playoff appearance
Twelve trips in franchise history, with three World Series titles: 1906, 1917 and 2005.
2026
AL Wild Card Series vs. AstrosIn progressGame 1 is Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET in Houston, a bullpen game for both sides.
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2021
ALDSLost to Astros, 3 games to 1Chicago’s last playoff trip ended against the same team it faces now.
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2020
AL Wild Card SeriesLost to Athletics, 2 games to 1The pandemic season’s expanded 16 team field.
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2008
ALDSLost to Rays, 3 games to 1Reached the playoffs by winning a Game 163 tiebreaker over the Twins, 1 to 0.
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2005
World SeriesWon, swept the AstrosThe franchise’s first title since 1917; the Sox went 11 and 1 in the postseason.
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2000
ALDSLost to Mariners, sweptA 95 win team bowed out in three games.
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1993
ALCSLost to Blue Jays, 4 games to 2Frank Thomas’ MVP season ended two wins short of the pennant.
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1983
ALCSLost to Orioles, 3 games to 1The “Winning Ugly” 99 win team.
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1959
World SeriesLost to Dodgers, 4 games to 2The Go Go Sox’ last pennant before 2005.
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1919
World SeriesLost to Reds, 5 games to 3The Black Sox scandal series.
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1917
World SeriesWon, 4 games to 2 over the GiantsThe team’s second championship.
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1906
World SeriesWon, 4 games to 2 over the CubsThe Hitless Wonders beat the 116 win Cubs in the only all Chicago World Series.
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The 24 year gap between 1959 and 1983 is the longest playoff drought in team history.
From 121 Losses to the Playoffs in Two Years
The 2024 White Sox went 41 and 121, breaking the modern record for losses in a season. Two years later they are in the postseason for the first time since 2021, powered by an offense that carried the team all year, a bullpen that led MLB in innings and rookie left hander Hagen Smith, who opens Game 1. The turnaround is one of the fastest from a record setting loss total to a playoff berth in MLB history.
The 2026 Series
The Astros, who won the AL West with an 81 and 81 record, host every game of the best of three series. Both teams are using bullpen games in Game 1: AJ Blubaugh opens for Houston and Hagen Smith for Chicago. Details, times and live scores are on our White Sox vs. Astros series page.
Related
White Sox vs. Astros series · Game 1 live score · White Sox playoff schedule · Wild Card starting pitchers
Postseason results are from MLB.com.
