The White Sox Still Are On Pace To Be The Worst Team Ever Despite Snapping A 21 Game Losing Streak Last Night

David Berding. Getty Images.

For the first time since July 10th, the Chicago White Sox won a game last night. How long ago was July 10? Donald Trump has not yet been shot. Joe Biden was still running for president. MaXXXine was in the Top 5 at the box office. EA Sports College Football 25 hadn't come out. It feels like an eternity ago.

But the White Sox did beat the A's last night 5-1 and for that, they can celebrate.

Appreciate the dancing and ignore that Tim Anderson is on a couch somewhere after being DFA'd by the Marlins last month. This also may be as celebratory as it gets for the White Sox in 2024. 

I think they are going to break the 1962 Mets record for most losses in a season. That team went 40-120. The White Sox will (likely) play two more games than those Mets (who had one game end in a tie and another was a rainout that wasn't rescheduled). But that might not even matter. These White Sox are so abysmal, they could lost 120 before Game 161.

Remember, the current roster is even worse than the one we have seen for most of the year. Right before the deadline, they traded away:

SS Paul DeJong

OF Tommy Pham

DH Eloy Jimenez

SP Erick Fedde

RP Michael Kopech

RP Tanner Banks

Is this an assortment of great players? No but they do combine to have a WAR with the White Sox of 4.8. For most teams, that's not great. For this team, that's a big part of their production. Fedde especially had been good for them. 

Steven Garcia. Shutterstock Images.

Let's look at the remaining 46 games for the White Sox and see if they can get 15 wins to avoid history:

7xDET (4 home, 3 away)

6xLAA (3 home, 3 away)

4xOAK (3 home, 1 away)

3xNYY (3 home)

3xHOU (3 away)

3xSFG (3 away)

3xTEX (3 home)

3xNYM (3 home)

3xBAL (3 away)

3xBOS (3 away)

3xCLE (3 home)

3xSDP (3 away)

2xCHC (2 home)

21 are against clearly winning teams (Yankees, Astros, Red Sox, Mets, Orioles, Guardians, Padres)

8 are against average teams (Giants, Rangers, Cubs)

17 are against clearly losing teams (Tigers, Angels, A's)

You can argue whether the Mets, Padres or Red Sox are "winning" teams but either way. They have 17 games against lousy teams. And, those aren't the worst of the worst. They don't play the Marlins or the Rockies. I put the Tigers as a losing team even though they have same record as the Rangers. That's only because the Rangers are getting some players back and are more in the AL West race.

The Tigers, Angels and A's have a combined winning percentage of .440. The White Sox winning percentage is .241. There are no easy games for the Pale Hose.

The only way 120 is seriously in play is if they can hit at least 100 losses by the beginning of September. There are 25 games in September. They suck but I don't see them only winning 4 games in the entire month of September especially as more teams fall out of the race.

For the White Sox to avoid 100 losses by September 1st, they'll need to go 10-11 for the rest of August. That ain't happening. 120 losses is absolutely in play. I think they are more likely to lose 123 games than lose 116 or less.

They will try to avoid the 89th loss right now against the A's. It started at 3:30 EST. At least, they can't lose tomorrow.

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They have an off day.