HISTORY!
A record they said couldn’t be broken (by August, at least) got taken care of with a two-hit whimper on the South Side: 107 losses this season
Well, now, how about that. Unless you are 54 years old (and we extremely self-aware as a baseball infant, if just 54) you have witnessed true White Sox history: 107 losses on the season.
With that, of course, is a third losing streak of at least 10 games. That’s happened just once in baseball history (1962 Mets). Although one reader’s innovative thinking might already give the White Sox the all-time mark:
As for the game, this was a very typical 2024 White Sox result: Strong pitching from a starter (Garrett Crochet, eight of 10 outs by strikeout, one hit ... yeah, a homer) and comically-bad offense (two singles, one runner in scoring position, one caught stealing, one pickoff).
It is just the first day of September, and you might be tempted to see the rest of the month as just playing out the streak now that the club has attained 107 losses to break the all-time team mark. But hey, no, there’s a lot still to play for: all-time worsts in so many ways (see Futility Watch, below), including a run at the all-time longest losing streak, perhaps even 130 losses ... hey, with this club, you never know.
The White Sox head to Baltimore for three to start the week, and those hosts will not be hospitable.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 31-107, worst 138-game start in White Sox history (12 games worse than the next-worst, 1932 White Sox), second-worst MLB start all-time and a season-worst 76 games below .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -291, 11th-worst 138-game start in MLB history and a 2024 season worst
White Sox 2024 Batting WAR -7.8 (through August 31); 1.2 WAR better than all-time MLB-worst 1977 Atlanta Braves (10.0)
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 36-126 (.225)
All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2024) 9,584-9,598 (.4996)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 7 games worse; need to finish 13-11 to end season 44-118
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 5 games worse; need to finish 10-14 to end season 41-121
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) new record set (107 and counting)
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 16 1⁄2 games worse; need to finish season 22-2 to end season 53-109
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 2 games worse; need to finish season 8-16 to finish 39-123
*record adjusted to a 162-game season