With one week remaining in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the Chicago White Sox are on the verge of making unfortunate history. At 36-120, they have already amassed 120 losses, tying the record set by the infamous 1962 New York Mets. With six games left to play, the White Sox could set a new mark for futility in modern baseball history.
The team's lackluster performance isn't just reflected in their record. Offensively, the White Sox have struggled mightily, batting a dismal .220/.278/.339, significantly below the league-average slash line of .244/.312/.400. Their offensive woes are further encapsulated by a meager team OPS+ of 76, indicating they are 24% worse than the league average in on-base and slugging percentage.
Offensive Struggles
The White Sox's offensive misfortunes are starkly highlighted by their league-low 127 home runs for the season. Remarkably, not a single player on the roster has reached the 20-home run milestone. With an average of just 3.07 runs per game, they rank dead last in the league. In comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays, who sit just above them, average 3.78 runs per game.
Andrew Vaughn has been the most productive hitter for the squad, leading the team with 67 RBIs and 54 runs. However, his individual success is relative; Vaughn ranks 103rd out of 130 qualifying players in OPS for the batting title. The team's overall run differential stands at -320, having been outscored 799 to 479 over the season.
Defensive and Pitching Woes
The White Sox's struggles extend beyond the batter's box. Defensively, they have been the worst team in the league, carrying a league-low -83 total zone runs. For context, the Miami Marlins, who are second-worst in this category, have -53 total zone runs. Meanwhile, the Brewers and Mariners, at the top of the list, boast 46 total zone runs.
Pitching hasn't offered much respite either. Erick Fedde leads the team in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), but he hasn't pitched since July 27. The White Sox's collective FanGraphs' WAR is a staggering -6.8, making them the only team with a negative figure. Comparatively, the Colorado Rockies, who rank next to last, have a positive 4.1 WAR.
Home and Road Records
The White Sox's poor form has been consistent both at home and on the road. Their 16-62 road record is the worst in the league; the Rockies are next with 24 road wins. At home, the White Sox are slightly better yet still lead the league in futility with a 20-58 home record. On the other hand, the Marlins are second-worst, managing only 30-51 at home.
Before this season, the White Sox had never lost more than 55 road games or 53 home games in a single season, making this year an unprecedented disaster for the franchise.
Historical Losing Streaks
Throughout the season, the White Sox have endured three notable losing streaks of 21, 14, and 12 games each. They suffered additional losing spells of seven, six, and two stretches of five games, one of which is still ongoing. Historically, the White Sox had suffered losing streaks of 12 games or more only three times before—in 1924, 1927, and 1967.
Post All-Star Break Collapse
Since the All-Star break, the team's performance has been abysmal, with a 9-49 record. This second-half collapse puts them at risk of breaking another dubious record for fewest wins post-All-Star break, currently held by the A's, who went 15-61 in both 1915 and 1943.
May and June were the best months for the White Sox this season, but they still ended up with a 9-19 record in each. July was particularly brutal, as they managed just three wins against 22 losses.
Few Bright Spots
Despite the rough season, the White Sox managed winning records against a handful of teams, including the Braves (2-1), Rockies (2-1), Cardinals (2-1), Rays (4-2), and Nationals (2-1). However, their performance within their division has been dreadful, with a 12-41 record against AL Central opponents.
The 2024 season will likely go down as the worst in the storied history of the Chicago White Sox, a franchise that has seen its share of ups and downs but never a season as dismal as this.