HOUSTON — Early in this improbable White Sox season, hitting coach Derek Shomon had a thought about second baseman Chase Meidroth that seemed bold but now seems sage.
‘‘[Assistant hitting coach] Joel [McKeithan] and I were like, ‘Dude, you can probably hit 15 or 20 [home runs] this year,’ ’’ Shomon said.
After Meidroth launched a backbreaking, three-run shot in sixth inning of the Sox’ 7-3 victory against the Astros that completed a two-game sweep in the American League wild-card series, the 5-9 infielder is at 17 and counting.
‘‘I knew I got it,’’ a beer- and champagne-drenched Meidroth said in the visitors’ locker room. ‘‘It’s a moment you dream about as a kid, coming through for your team like that in a big moment.’’
Earlier in the at-bat, manager Will Venable had Meidroth trying to lay down a bunt to push the two runners over, a more typical ask of the once-contact-oriented hitter. But Meidroth and the Sox showed throughout the sweep that they’re capable of more than anyone anticipated.
‘‘This just shows the resilience of our team,’’ starting pitcher Sean Burke said. ‘‘We show up no matter who were playing, no matter where we’re at. Doesn’t matter if we’re up or not, we play winning baseball.’’
In the two games at Daikin Park, the Sox were ahead throughout. They scored in the first inning of each game and turned the home crowd into boo-birds with an energetic brand of play that forced defensive mistakes from what was supposed to be a battle-tested opponent with more experience.
‘‘Sammy [Antonacci] setting the tone was really indicative of that fearlessness, and the guys responded behind him,’’ Venable said of his rookie leadoff man, who scored twice and drove in two runs in his first playoff action.
When three solo homers by the Astros against Burke narrowed the Sox’ advantage to 4-3, Venable conceded after the game that the momentum had switched to the opposition. But while they weren’t given postseason starts, well-traveled veterans Anthony Kay and Eric Fedde got the biggest outs of the day.
Kay induced fly outs from AL MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve to strand the potential go-ahead runs in the fifth, and Fedde — after pitching for the historically awful 2024 Sox — worked the final two innings to punch the South Siders’ ticket to the AL Division Series against the Guardians.
‘‘I’m so glad they chose me with the ball and to give the team the win this whole fan base deserved, this whole organization deserved,’’ Fedde said.
It was deserved, but even the architects of this turnaround would admit it arrived early.
‘‘Did I expect it to happen this quickly and be where we’re at in this journey?’’ general manager Chris Getz said. ‘‘No, I didn’t.’’
No MLB team in history had made the playoffs after two consecutive seasons of 100 losses or more, let alone three. To add a playoff-series victory — the Sox’ first since 2005 — on top of it was enough to draw chairman Jerry Reinsdorf into a jubilant clubhouse.
‘‘I didn’t think it would come to fruition this fast,’’ Reinsdorf said. ‘‘I really thought 2027 was the year that we would contend.’’
Next comes a showdown against the Guardians, whom the Sox have battled all season. The Sox won the season series 7-6 but lost the AL Central race to them by a game. At this point, the Sox have every reason to set their sights on the whole thing.
‘‘We’ve seen crazier things,’’ shortstop Colson Montgomery said about reaching the World Series. ‘‘All that matters is being hot right now, and we’re hot.’’
A winning clubhouse is no place to curb ambition, and with the way the Sox are feeling, they’re only headed to bigger and better things. That includes Meidroth, too.
‘‘Chase can win a batting title,’’ Shomon said.