Win and in: White Sox can clinch playoff spot this afternoon

In their bid to clinch a playoff spot Wednesday for the first time since 2008, the White Sox looked to the Tigers and Mariners for help.

The Sox needed a win over the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, and they needed Detroit and Seattle to lose.

The Tigers and Mariners did their part - falling to the Royals and Giants, respectively - but the White Sox also lost, a 5-1 decision against Minnesota.

Thursday is a new day, and the Sox can wrap up a trip to the postseason this afternoon with a win over the Twins.

If they lose to Minnesota today, the White Sox can still clinch if the Tigers, Mariners and Orioles lose.

Reynaldo Lopez (1-2, 5.52 ERA) starts for the White Sox, opposing Minnesota's Kenta Maeda (5-1, 2.43).

Even with Wednesday night's loss, the Sox (32-17) have the best record in the American League.

Clinching a playoff spot for the first time in 12 years is worth celebrating, but the White Sox are more interested in making a deep run into October.

"Any team is capable of winning it all," said catcher Yasmani Grandal, who has played in the postseason in each of the last five years. "It's not who's hot during the season, it's who gets hot in the postseason. We've seen cases like the Marlins, who came in as a wild-card team and won it all, or we've seen cases like the Nationals last year, who got hot at the right time and end up cruising through and end up winning it all.

"So it doesn't matter how hot you get during the season, it's who gets hot at the right time. And that's pretty much what postseason baseball is."