The Chicago White Sox are on the verge of setting a record that no team wants to claim: the worst record in modern baseball history. With one week remaining in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the White Sox have amassed a dismal 36-120 record, tying them with the infamous 1962 New York Mets for most losses in a single season. Six more games determine whether this team will hold sole possession of this unfortunate milestone.
The numbers behind the White Sox's season paint a grim picture. Offensively, the team has underperformed significantly, slashing just .220/.278/.339. These figures are starkly below the league-average slash line of .244/.312/.400. Their team OPS+ of 76 indicates that they are 24% worse than the league average in getting on base and hitting for power.
Power outages have plagued the roster all season. The White Sox have hit just 127 home runs, the fewest in the league, and not a single player has reached the 20-home run mark. Their offensive struggles are further highlighted by their league-worst average of 3.07 runs per game, well below the 3.78 runs per game managed by the Tampa Bay Rays, who rank 29th.
The team has been outscored by 320 runs, registering a ghastly -320 run differential. Andrew Vaughn, who leads the team in both RBIs (67) and runs (54), ranks 103rd out of 130 qualifying players in OPS for the batting title, underscoring the collective offensive woes.
Defensively, the White Sox have fared no better. They have the worst total zone runs in the league at -83. To put their struggles into perspective, the Marlins, who rank 29th, have -53 total zone runs, while the Brewers and Mariners are tied for first with 46.
In pitching, the situation is equally dire. Erick Fedde, the team’s leader in WAR, hasn't pitched since July 27, reflecting broader struggles on the mound. Collectively, the White Sox have posted a FanGraphs' WAR of -6.8, the lowest in the league and the only figure below zero. The Rockies sit just above them with a positive 4.1 WAR.
Their performance on the road has been historically poor, with the White Sox posting a league-worst 16-62 road record. At home, they haven't fared much better, holding the worst record at 20-58. These dismal records surpass their previous lows, as the team had never lost more than 55 road games or 53 home games in a single season before this year.
The White Sox have endured several lengthy slumps, including losing streaks of 21, 14, and 12 games each. Additional streaks of seven, six, and two five-game skids have further compounded their misery. Before this season, the White Sox had suffered losing streaks of 12 games or more only three times in their history—1924, 1927, and 1967.
The second half of the season has been particularly brutal. Since the All-Star break, the White Sox are 9-49. No team has won fewer than 15 games in a full second half, a dubious record held by the A's, who went 15-61 in 1915 and 1943. The White Sox’s best months were May and June, each boasting a 9-19 record. July, however, was particularly catastrophic, with the team going 3-22.
The team has managed winning records against just five opponents: the Braves (2-1), Rockies (2-1), Cardinals (2-1), Rays (4-2), and Nationals (2-1). Within their own division, the AL Central, the White Sox are a dismal 12-41.
The 2024 season has undoubtedly been the most challenging in the Chicago White Sox's history. As they face the final stretch of this arduous season, the team will be looking to salvage any remaining shred of respectability. However, the record-setting futility of this season will undoubtedly be a grim chapter in the storied history of Major League Baseball.