White Sox become the first team ever to follow back-to-back 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. And the AL Central isn't settled yet.

Three straight years of 100 losses, and now there's champagne on the South Side. The Chicago White Sox clinched a playoff spot Thursday by throttling the Kansas City Royals 9-1, becoming the first team to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons by reaching the postseason, the Associated Press reports. Kyle Teel homered and reached base five times. David Sandlin allowed one run over six innings against the club that drafted him. The Sox pounced on Kansas City mistakes and led 3-0 after one. At 82-77, they own the most wins ever by a club coming off three straight 100-loss years, and it's their first playoff trip since 2021. They're not finished, either. As of Thursday night, Chicago trailed Cleveland by one game in the AL Central with three home games left against last-place Colorado, and the White Sox hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The division winner likely gets the No. 2 seed and a bye. Coach's closing line: nobody hands you October. You go get it, one ground ball at a time, especially when everybody wrote you off.