With only one week left in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, the Chicago White Sox find themselves teetering on the brink of an ignominious record. At 36-120, the team has already matched the infamous 1962 New York Mets in losses, and with six games left to play, they are on the cusp of setting the worst record in modern baseball history.
As a team, the White Sox have struggled mightily at the plate, hitting a dismal .220/.278/.339, well below the league-average slash line of .244/.312/.400. Their meager 76 OPS+ underscores their offensive struggles, as it indicates they are 24% worse than the league average in terms of getting on base and hitting for power. Ranking dead last in home runs, the team has only managed to hit 127 this season, with not a single player reaching the 20-home run mark.
This offensive ineptitude is further highlighted by their league-worst average of just 3.07 runs per game. For context, the Rays, who rank 29th in runs per game, average 3.78 runs. The White Sox have been outscored 799-479, resulting in a staggering -320 run differential.
Individual Struggles Reflect Team Woes
Andrew Vaughn has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal season. He leads the team in both RBIs and runs, with 67 and 54 respectively. However, his individual performance underscores the team's overall struggles, as he ranks 103rd out of 130 qualifying players in OPS for the batting title.
On the defensive side, the White Sox have fared no better. They have been the worst defensive team in the league, with -83 total zone runs. This is a significant gap from the Marlins, who are ranked 29th with -53 total zone runs. In stark contrast, the Brewers and Mariners lead the league with +46 total zone runs each.
Pitching Woes Compound Problems
The pitching staff has also been problematic. Erick Fedde, the team's leader in WAR, hasn't pitched since July 27. The White Sox's collective performance in FanGraphs' version of WAR is a dismal -6.8, making them the only team in the league with a negative figure. To put this in perspective, the Rockies, who are 29th in WAR, still manage a positive 4.1.
Their road performance has been equally abysmal. With a 16-62 record away from home, they have the worst road record in the league. The Rockies have the next fewest road wins with 24. At home, the White Sox are marginally better but still worst in the league at 20-58. The Marlins hold the next fewest home wins at 30-51.
Historically, the White Sox had never lost more than 55 road games or 53 home games in a single season before this disaster of a year. Lengthy slumps have plagued the team, with losing streaks of 21, 14, and 12 straight games each. They have also suffered additional losing streaks of seven, six, and two stints of five games, one of which is still active.
Unprecedented Second-Half Collapse
Since the All-Star break, the White Sox are 9-49. No team has ever won fewer than 15 games in a full second half, a dubious record currently held by the A's from 1915 and 1943, who went 15-61. The White Sox’s best months were May and June, each with a 9-19 record, while their worst month was July, where they went 3-22.
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). Against the rest of the AL Central, they are a dismal 12-41.
As the 2024 season draws to a close, it is clear that this year will go down as the worst in Major League Baseball history for the Chicago White Sox. Fans and analysts alike are left to ponder what went wrong and how the organization can begin to rebuild from this historic low point.