The Chicago White Sox fell 4-1 to the Detroit Tigers on Friday for their 121st loss of the season, the most in MLB history. The mark broke the previous record set by the expansion New York Mets in 1962.
Chicago won 93 games and the American League Central division in 2021 but has been in a steady decline since. The White Sox won 81 games in 2022 and 61 last season. They've won 39 games so far this season, with two games left.
After the Friday loss, the White Sox posted a picture to social media of a computer desktop with a list of "Things we'd rather do than read comments" and a photo of the team mascot sitting against a wall with the caption "slams laptop shut til tomorrow."
Offense has been Chicago’s most glaring issue. The White Sox are ranked near the bottom in many major statistical categories, and entered Tuesday last in the MLB in hits, runs, home runs, batting average, runs batted in, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. (The team is second-to-last in walks drawn, however.)
First baseman Andrew Vaughn, hitting .248 this season, has the highest batting average on the team (and 87th in the league).
The White Sox began the season 3-22, the worst 25-game start in franchise history.
On Aug. 5, Chicago lost its 21st consecutive game of the season, another franchise record, becoming the first team since 1988 to lose at least 21 games in a row. After winning nine games each in May and June, the team won seven games combined in July and August.
The White Sox fired manager Pedro Grifol on Aug. 8. Former player (and three-time All-Star) Grady Sizemore has been the team’s interim manager since.
Chicago has made the playoffs only three times since its World Series win in 2005 — 2008, the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and 2021. It has won only three playoff games since 2005.
The White Sox currently have the 18th-highest payroll in the 30-team MLB, per Spotrac. Their average age, 26.1, is the second-youngest in baseball.
