White Sox declaw Tigers, 4-0
No loss 122 today
Whether it was the 2 1⁄2 -hour rain delay, playing in even more rain and wanting to get to the dugout to get dry instead of standing on a base, celebrating too much last night, or just good pitching by the White Sox, the Detroit lineup was enfeebled this afternoon. That led to the second shutout by the Sox in three days, 4-0 — and the first two since June.
Sean Burke was shaky at the start, walking three and giving up a hit in the first two innings, throwing 49 pitches in the process. But the Tigers apparently discovered if you get on base you have to stay out in the rain, and started swinging at everything between their helmet tops and shoe bottoms. As a result, Burke coasted through the next three innings, ceding just one hit.
Michael Soroka was even more impressive, retiring all nine batters he faced, five of them on strikeouts, most of the K’s again on balls nowhere near the strike zone. Then Gus Varland got through the ninth without giving up a run, despite a one-out triple.
As for offense, all that was required was a Bryan Ramos golf shot of a Beau Brieske ankle-high changeup in the second.
The rest of the offense consisted of Andrews taking advantage of the Tigers having a second straight bullpen game and running out of reliable arms: Andrew Benintendi doubled in the sixth off Ty Madden, who hasn’t exactly sparkled in September, and Andrew Vaughn singled him home. Then Benintendi got to face Madden again in the eighth, and lazed a high fly into the seats with one aboard to make it 4-0.
Just for fun, Benintendi, who hasn’t exactly been Carl Yastrzemski in left field since coming to the White Sox, made a nice foul grab to round out his day.
With one game to go against the Tigers tomorrow afternoon, the White Sox are 40-121 — holders of the (modern, if you insist) record for most losses, but possibly making it even more difficult for another team to overtake them years down the road if they can squeeze out a loss. Jonathan Cannon will face the famous Undecided (TBA’s lesser-known cousin) — probably another bullpen game, as the Tigers save all their starters for the postseason.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 40-121, worst season in White Sox history, second-worst post-1899 MLB season all-time (to the 1916 Philadelphia A’s) and 81 games below .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -310, sixth-worst 161-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 40-122 (.248)
All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2024) 9,593-9,612 (.4995)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) CLINCHED, currently 2 1⁄2 games worse than the 2003 Tigers
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120-1) half- game worse; need to finish 1-0 to end season 41-121
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) new record set (121 and counting)
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 49-102-1) CLINCHED, currently 14 games worse than the 1932 team
Race to the Worst Post-1899 Record (1916 A’s, 36-117-1) FAILED; even a 39-123 finish is a .241 winning percentage, and the A’s finished at .235