With just one week left in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the Chicago White Sox find themselves on the brink of an ignominious milestone: recording the worst season in modern baseball history. The team's 36-120 record already ties them with the infamous 1962 New York Mets, and with six games remaining, there's a strong possibility that the White Sox could set a new low mark for futility.
The statistics paint a bleak picture. The team’s slash line of .220/.278/.339 is significantly below the league average of .244/.312/.400, underscoring their offensive struggles. They have managed a mere 76 OPS+, indicating they are 24% worse than the league average in getting on base and hitting for power. Notably, the White Sox rank dead last in home runs, having hit just 127 this season, and not a single player has reached the 20-home run mark.
Compounding their offensive woes is their scant average of just 3.07 runs per game, the lowest in the league. In comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays, who rank 29th in runs per game, average 3.78 runs. The team has been outscored 799-479, resulting in a staggering -320 run differential.
Andrew Vaughn leads the team in both RBIs and runs, with 67 and 54 respectively. Yet, he ranks 103rd out of 130 qualifying players in OPS for the batting title, underscoring the team's overall struggles. Defensively, the situation is equally dire. The White Sox have been the worst defensive team in the league, with -83 total zone runs. For context, the Miami Marlins, ranked 29th in total zone runs, have -53, while the Brewers and Mariners are tied for first with 46.
Pitching Woes
On the mound, the White Sox haven't fared much better. Erick Fedde, the team’s leader in WAR, hasn’t pitched since July 27. The team collectively has a FanGraphs' WAR of -6.8, making them the only team in the league with a negative figure. The Rockies, the second-worst team in this metric, have a positive 4.1 WAR, a stark contrast to the White Sox’s performance.
Road and Home Struggles
Travel has done little to mitigate the team's issues. Their 16-62 road record is the worst in the league, with the Rockies having the next fewest road wins at 24. At home, the White Sox are 20-58, again the worst in the league. The Marlins have the next fewest home wins at 30-51. Remarkably, before this season, the White Sox had never lost more than 55 road games or 53 home games in a single season.
Losing Streaks Upon Losing Streaks
Extended slumps have characterized the White Sox's season. They have had three lengthy losing streaks—of 21, 14, and 12 straight losses each. Additionally, they have suffered losing streaks of seven games, six games, and two separate stints of five games, with one of those streaks still active. Prior to this season, the White Sox had suffered losing streaks of 12 games or more only three times in their history, in 1924, 1927, and 1967.
The Post-All-Star Break Collapse
Since the All-Star break, the White Sox are 9-49. No team in MLB history has won fewer than 15 games in a full second half, a record held by the A's, who went 15-61 in 1915 and 1943. The White Sox’s best months in an otherwise dismal season were May and June, in which they posted identical 9-19 records. Their nadir came in July, where they went an abysmal 3-22.
Small Bright Spots
Despite the overwhelming gloom, there were a few rays of light. The White Sox managed winning records against just five teams this year: the Braves (2-1), Rockies (2-1), Cardinals (2-1), Rays (4-2), and Nationals (2-1). However, against the rest of the AL Central, the White Sox have an appalling 12-41 record.
The 2024 season will undoubtedly go down as the worst in the storied history of the Chicago White Sox. The sobering statistics and collective performance embody a season where almost nothing went right, casting a long shadow over the organization's future as they seek to rebuild and revive their fortunes on the diamond.