What's next for the Cubs and White Sox after they both secured playoff berths

It was a banner day for baseball in Chicago.

Here’s what is next for both the Cubs and White Sox after both teams clinched playoff berths on Thursday.

White Sox have more to earn

There was plenty going on in Kansas City.

The White Sox clinched their first playoff berth since 2021. The team once considered the yearly punching bag now has a chance to win the World Series. The team boarded their flight home wearing… costumes.

The team had a life line, though. Manager Will Venable laid out the objectives.

"Tomorrow, we lock it the f*** back in," he said, "but tonight we’re popping bottles."

Don’t look past it. This is a monumental moment for a franchise that had been moribund until 2026.

They were expected to finish 2026 with a losing record. Instead, they’ll be in the playoffs.

"This means a lot for us," infielder Miguel Vargas told the Associated Press in Kansas City. "We've been chasing this moment for a long time. It's special for us. It's special for the whole organization. This is a special group of guys, and this is the most fun we can have."

But, it’s not the end.

That’s the biggest point the White Sox need to understand. There are still more celebrations to have.

If the White Sox win out and get a little help – for example, getting the Guardians to lose one game – they’ll win the AL Central. The Sox hold the tiebreaker over Cleveland, meaning identical records at the end of the season.

This involves some help. 

Cleveland needs to lose a game. The Guardians play the Royals in their final series of the season. The White Sox play the 100-loss Colorado Rockies at home to close the regular season.

If the White Sox win out, then all they need is one Cleveland loss. It could lead to an AL Central division title and an all-important bye into the ALDS, which would mean a break for the White Sox’s pitching staff.

But above all, the most important lessons has been learned: This team can win games.

"This comes with the expectation that this was going to happen, which is really cool," Venable said, according to the Associated Press. "They're definitely letting loose right now, we'll have a fun plane ride, but then back to business tomorrow."

Cubs can still play more at Wrigley Field

What a day on the Northside.

The Cubs clinched at Wrigley Field. Pete Crow-Armstrong joined the 40-40 club. The party started two days later than fans would’ve wanted, but it continued on nonetheless.

Everyone expected the Cubs to be here. They expected the Cubs to advance to the playoffs. Now that they have, it’s worth celebrating after two-straight losses to the Marlins.

That encapsulates the Cubs’ season: the ups, the downs, the frustrations, the unexpected and the success. The Cubs are a good team. They’ll be playing for a chance to win it all because they’ve been through it.

"We’re built for the weird s***," Crow-Armstrong told reporters after the game.

Consider the 10-game losing streak earlier this season and the amount of pitchers on the injured list for the Cubs this season. That’s a lot of bad. The Cubs are still knocking on the door of 90 wins.

That includes playing at home.

The Cubs could clinch homefield advantage in the NL Wild Card if they keep winning, and the San Diego Padres lose a game. 

The Cubs have the tiebreakers over the Phillies and Padres. Tying all three means the Cubs get homefield and play a three-game series against the second wild card team.

There’s still more to earn.

Hand out two pieces of hardware

With the Cubs and White Sox firmly in the playoffs, this should cement one award apiece for both teams.

Will Venable should have wrapped up the AL Manager of the Year award. From a 100-loss season to the playoffs, no one in the American League has proven their mettle like Venable has. There have been some hiccups, but he brought the White Sox from the basement to the playoffs. Clinching on Thursday should clinch the honor for Venable.

By virtue of joining the 40-40 club, Pete Crow-Armstrong should be the NL MVP. He’s earned the award with the bat, the defense and the presence he brings to the Cubs’ starting lineup. No other player in the NL has had an impact PCA has had.