THE WHITE SOX LOST 121 GAMES TWO YEARS AGO AND JUST CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT

In 2024 the White Sox went 41-121, the worst record of the modern era, with a run differential of minus-306. Last year they cut it down to 102 losses and called that progress. On Thursday they beat the Royals 9-1 in Kansas City and clinched a playoff berth at 82-77, the first team in baseball history to make the postseason right after back-to-back 100-loss seasons. They had three in a row. The game ended early. Royals starter Randy Dobnak threw wide of first on a bunt, then later threw to nobody covering the bag, and it was 6-0 after two innings. Rookie David Sandlin gave up one run over six with a career-high seven strikeouts against the club that drafted him out of Oklahoma four years ago. Kyle Teel homered, reached base five times and scored three. Then they just shook hands. AP reported the Sox formed a handshake line like it was a midsummer matinee and saved the party for the plastic-draped visiting clubhouse, where the Moet stacked up and Miguel Vargas got soaked. Andrew Benintendi had told the Sun-Times before the game he was ready to pop bottles, which is fair for a team that opened the season at 16-1 to make the playoffs, the second-longest odds in the sport behind Colorado. They are a half-game behind Cleveland with three at home against the Rockies. The Cubs clinched the same afternoon, the first time both Chicago teams ever clinched on the same day.

Why you should give a shit: A 121-loss disaster is now a half-game out of first, so the next front office that asks your city for a decade of patience is quoting you a price it does not need.