How the White Sox Made the 2026 MLB Postseason

After over 300 losses in the last three seasons, the White Sox speedrun the rebuild in 2026. Thanks to an infusion of young talent, as well as some veterans, the Sox will go back to the postseason for the first time in five years. And, the club looks very different compared to the one led by Jose Abreu, Luis Robert Jr., and the 2021 team.

Vargas finds his home

Two years ago, the White Sox acquired Miguel Vargas as a former top prospect with no path to playing time in Los Angeles and a short, yet unspectacular track record. However, there was always intrigue, including with the plate discipline & pop.

Well, 2025 was the step forward. And the 2026 campaign was the second step, one that saw Vargas become an All-Star and hit 33 home runs as a corner infielder for the White Sox. Not to mention, he also stole 21 bases and walked 98 times.

It was a strong all-around year for Vargas, now a key piece of the White Sox’s future. But he’s far from the only one who looks like a keeper.

The youth movement

Last year, the White Sox received the first injection of youth, as Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth all debuted. This year, Noah Schultz, Sam Antonacci, and Braden Montgomery all joined the club.

Antonacci proved to be the most impactful of the bunch, as he picked up 36 extra-base hits, was hit 28 times, and also worked his fair share of walks. He lived up to the hype, one year after a breakout 2025 campaign in the Minors.

Between those pieces, plus the addition of unlikely AL All-Star Tristan Peters and a slugger from Japan, there was a good amount of offense on a club that missed some over the past few seasons.

Arrival for a superstar slugger

When Munetaka Murakami entered the free agent pool, the big question was how much would he hit. Well, he proved some people wrong, as he tied Vargas for the club lead in home runs. However, a second half did show some weakness in a category that was expected to be a sore point.

Murakami, a formidable power hitter, showed a lot of swing-and-miss in the NPB, a circuit well-known for low-to-mid-90s fastballs pitchers and high-contact hitters. Yes, there was a good amount of swing-and-miss on the heat, as expected. But he was also somewhat in between during the second half.

As of September 24, his Whiff% on sliders/sweepers are among the league’s highest, right up there fellow teammate Colson Montgomery.