White Sox Watch: Shutout Loss Moves Chicago Within Six Losses of MLB Record
The 1962 New York Mets lost 120 games, setting the record for most single-season losses in modern baseball history. The 2024 Chicago White Sox are on track to replace the Mets as the worst team ever. As the season draws to a close, we follow their efforts to avoid infamy.
September 13: Pitchers Perform, Offense Doesn’t
The tables should be turned. If you had asked the average baseball fan at the beginning of the year which team would start this mid-September series — Oakland A’s versus Chicago White Sox — to avoid breaking the all-time losing record, the answer would have been Oakland.
Preseason expectations weren’t high for the White Sox, that’s for sure. ask their GMBut it was Oakland, coming off a 110-loss season amid a chaotic off-field storm.
Instead, it’s Oakland building an exciting young core. And the White Sox are counting down the days until the season is over. Their relevance is directly tied to their futility. A 33-115 record leaves their club six losses shy of sole ownership of the all-time record.
This 2-0 loss was no blowout. Zack Gelof doubled home a run in the fourth. Brent Rooker gave the A’s some insurance an inning later with a two-out single. Chicago’s pitching held up, but the offense couldn’t score a run.
2024 White Sox: On the Road to Worst Game in History
2025 White Sox: Don’t Add Decent Free Agents
This is not a serious MLB franchise.
—Brett (@brett_haffner) September 14, 2024
Out of context, it was just a regular game, unlike the many gigantic outbursts they have on their schedule.
However, in the context of this event, it contributed to their undesirable history.
The White Sox lost their 16th straight home game, a stretch that lasted more than a month. They went 5-26 in the Grady Sizemore era. They tied the 2018 Baltimore Orioles and the 1935 Boston Braves for the fourth-most losses since the American League was founded in 1901.
In an alternate universe, it’s the A’s who are desperate to avoid notoriety. In this world, however, it’s the White Sox who seem to be resigned to it. — Sam Blum
Current pace: 126 losses
Remaining games: 14
Wins needed to not tie the ’62 Mets: 10
Next match: Saturday vs. Oakland. Athletics RHP JT Ginn (0-1, 4.58 ERA) vs. White Sox RHP Chris Flexen (2-14, 5.26 ERA)
September 11: Rally falls short in 15th straight home defeat
The White Sox haven’t won at home in an entire month.
Way back in the Mesozoic era (okay, it was August 12), Chicago defeated the New York Yankees 12-2. Since then, it’s been one loss after another, each time the White Sox take the field one step closer to history. The most recent installment featured a pair of two-run infield singles from Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas in a 6-4 defeat on Wednesday afternoon that sealed Cleveland’s three-game sweep.
An error and a balk helped fuel a four-run outburst by the White Sox, but like the previous two games of the series, they never got a lead. They have lost 15 straight games at Guaranteed Rate Field, and 27 of 28.
The White Sox are now 33-114. Since their inception as a charter member of the American League in 1901, only five teams have lost more in a season: the 2018 Baltimore Orioles (115), the 1935 Boston Braves (115), the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (117), the 2003 Detroit Tigers (119) and the 1962 New York Mets (120).
With the Guardians reluctantly leaving town in first place, the White Sox welcome the Oakland Athletics to the South Side this weekend for a three-game series. Chicago lost two of three games in Oakland in early August. — Zack Meisel
I’m afraid it’s time we had this conversation.
Relegate the Chicago White Sox photo.twitter.com/mAYNihULHx
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) September 11, 2024
September 10: Loss #113 comes in the 17th shutout of the season
CHICAGO — Before Tuesday’s game, a White Sox executive jokingly asked two reporters to try using “record-setting” for the team’s name instead of some less flattering description. Well, the record-setting White Sox did it again Tuesday, setting a new record for consecutive home losses with 14. Of course, they broke the record they set Monday night.
Their 5-0 defeat to Cleveland was also their 26th loss in their last 27 home games.
It’s starting to become a trend.
LAN LAN LAN LAN LAN!#ForTheCountry photo.twitter.com/DpcYUR28Gr
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 11, 2024
Led by Lane Thomas’ three-run homer off Sox reliever Gus Varland in the sixth, Cleveland sent the White Sox to their 113th loss, home or away, of the season. It was the 17th time this season they’ve been shut out. They’re eight losses shy of breaking the Mets’ modern-day losing record set in 1962, and the only drama now is whether they can win three games between now and Sept. 24 and set the record in their final home series.
The Sox are 18-56 at home, with their last win at Guaranteed Rate Field coming in an improbable 12-2 drubbing of the New York Yankees on August 12. Their previous home win came against the Twins in the first game of a doubleheader on July 10. The Sox responded with 21 consecutive losses, tying the American League record.
Before the game, the Sox called up right-hander Sean Burke, who was making his major league debut. He struck out three batters in two scoreless innings before the Guardians got an unearned run off him in the ninth. The error was his own, after an off-target pickoff throw.
Burke, a 2021 third-round draft pick, was originally slated to pitch in the Arizona Fall League but instead became the 62nd player the White Sox have used this season, breaking a club record. — Jon Greenberg
September 9: Loss #112 comes as Guardians pitcher flirts with perfection
CHICAGO — The White Sox, who have allowed 104 fewer runs than any other team, have proven to be an elixir for any struggling pitcher. That now includes Cleveland Guardians rookie Joey Cantillo, who retired the first 20 Chicago hitters he faced on Monday and handed the White Sox their 112th loss.
Cantillo posted an 8.47 ERA in his first four starts, but in Cleveland’s 5-3 win, he struck out 10 and kept the White Sox off the bases until Andrew Benintendi hit a two-out single to right field in the seventh inning.
What a night for Joey Cantillo!
He struck out 10 batters tonight. #ForTheCountry photo.twitter.com/LJ8jZstH78
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 10, 2024
Oddly enough, the White Sox have more wins against the first-place Guardians (five) than against any other opponent this season. But Monday’s loss was their 13th in a row at home and their 25th in their last 26 games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They are now just eight losses shy of tying the Mets’ dubious record from 1962. They are 40 1/2 games back of fourth place in the five-team American League Central. — Zack Meisel
(Top photo by Andrew Vaughn: Matt Marton / Imagn Images)
