With just one week left in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the Chicago White Sox find themselves on the brink of infamy. Their record currently stands at 36-120, tying them with the notorious 1962 New York Mets for most losses in modern baseball history. As the final six games approach, Chicago faces the very real possibility of cementing themselves as the worst team in modern baseball history.
The team’s performance this season has been historically poor, both at the plate and in the field. As a unit, the White Sox have struggled with a dismal slash line of .220/.278/.339, well below the league-average slash line of .244/.312/.400. This results in a meager 76 OPS+, indicating that they are 24% worse than the league average in terms of getting on base and hitting for power.
Chicago’s lack of offensive production is glaring. Ranked last in home runs, they have managed only 127 on the season, with not a single player reaching the 20-home run mark. This is emphasized by their league-low average of just 3.07 runs per game. For comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays, who rank 29th in runs per game, average 3.78 runs, shining a spotlight on the White Sox’s offensive struggles.
Defensively, the team fares no better. The White Sox have the worst defensive metrics in the league, with -83 total zone runs. The Miami Marlins, who rank 29th, have -53 total zone runs. Leading the league, the Brewers and Mariners boast 46 total zone runs each. Chicago’s lackluster defensive efforts have further compounded their woes on the field.
In individual performance, Andrew Vaughn leads the team in both RBIs and runs, with 67 and 54 respectively. However, Vaughn’s standing in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) reveals deeper issues; he ranks 103rd out of 130 qualifying players for the batting title.
The White Sox’s pitching has also been subpar, with Erick Fedde, the team's leader in WAR (Wins Above Replacement), not having pitched since July 27. This has contributed to the White Sox's collective performance in FanGraphs' version of WAR, which stands at a dismal -6.8. This makes them the only team in the league with a negative figure, with the next worst team, the Colorado Rockies, holding a positive 4.1 WAR.
Adding to their struggles, Chicago's road performance has been historically bad. Their 16-62 road record is the worst in the league, with the Rockies having the next fewest road wins at 24. The situation isn’t much better at home, where the White Sox are 20-58, once again the worst in the league, with the Marlins next at 30-51. Prior to this season, the White Sox had never lost more than 55 road games or 53 home games in a single season.
This season has seen Chicago endure three extensive losing streaks of 21, 14, and 12 consecutive games. Additionally, they have suffered losing streaks of seven, six, and two stints of five, one of which is still active. Historically, the White Sox had only experienced losing streaks of 12 games or more thrice, back in 1924, 1927, and 1967.
Since the All-Star break, the White Sox are 9-49, setting them on a trajectory for another unenviable record. No team has ever won fewer than 15 games in a full second half, a dubious mark held by the A’s, who went 15-61 in both 1915 and 1943. The White Sox’s best months were May and June, each with a 9-19 record. Their worst month was July, where they went a disheartening 3-22.
Even in this bleak season, there were minor silver linings. The White Sox managed winning records against just five teams: 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 are 12-41, reflecting their struggle within their own division.
The 2024 season is inarguably the worst in Major League Baseball history for the Chicago White Sox. With the final games looming, the team’s focus will likely shift to rebuilding and rethinking their strategy to avoid a repeat of this dismal year.