Tuesday marked the halfway point of the season for the Chicago White Sox.
The figures have led to a historically bad start.
At 21-60, the Sox are off to their worst 81-game start in franchise history (previously 27-54 in 1934 and 1948). They are tied with the 2023 Oakland Athletics for second-worst start in the wild card era (since 1994), behind the 2003 Detroit Tigers (20-61).
The Sox entered Wednesday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only team in the majors with a winning percentage below .300 (.259).
While there have been a few highlights — like Garrett Crochet’s successful transition from the bullpen to the rotation and the opportunity for prospects like Drew Thorpe to gain Major League experience — the Sox are on pace for a second consecutive 100- plus losing season. Last season they suffered 101 defeats. The team’s record for losses in a season is 106 in 1970 (28-53 through 81 games).
“Sometimes we don’t see the improvement we want to see and sometimes we do,” manager Pedro Grifol said before Wednesday’s game. “Sometimes we see setbacks. And sometimes we see a lot of steps forward. It’s been inconsistent. It’s clear that our record is not where we want it to be. Sometimes it’s painful. Just our record is painful.
“That’s kind of a summary of the first 81 games, we have to improve everywhere in the second 81.”
Here are three more numbers that sum up the Sox’s first 81 games of 2024.
11: Matches closed
Photos: Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Chicago White Sox 3
Miguel Rojas fielded Lenyn Sosa’s roller to the shortstop and threw him out to cap off the Dodgers’ 3-0 win in Monday’s series opener. It was the eleventh time this season that the Sox were shut out.
They were shut out eight times in their first 22 games, the first time that had ever happened in the history of the National League or American League. The Sox were shut out once in each of their first eight series, starting with a 1-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers on opening day at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The pace has slowed recently, with Monday marking the team’s first shutout since May 12 against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Sox are last in the majors with 246 runs, 30 fewer than the Miami Marlins, who are ranked 29th.
The Sox have shown a little more pop this month, hitting 29 home runs.
But the team has scored three runs or fewer in eleven of their last fourteen games, including the first two in the series against the Dodgers.
21: Blown saves
Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Michael Kopech sits in the dugout after giving up a run in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 30, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
The Sox had a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning on June 10 in Seattle.
Starter Erick Fedde gave up a homerun to Dominic Canzone to open the inning and gave way to closer Michael Kopech. The Mariners scored three points against Kopech to tie the score.
The Mariners pulled away from the Sox an inning later when a grand slam by Cal Raleigh gave Seattle an 8-4 victory.
While Jordan Leasure took the defeat, Kopech was credited with the blown save. The Sox have made 21 saves this season, the most in the Majors.
The Sox have suffered 28 losses after leading. Grifol said it’s not just one aspect that has hurt the team in closing games.
“We have had the opportunity to close games in all areas, but sometimes not,” Grifol said. “We’ve had games where we didn’t make a play in the infield or outfield, we’ve had games where we didn’t take an extra base on the bases.
“We really need to focus on closing games in all facets of the game. And understand that every little thing is important to be able to close these games out.”
0: Games that Pham, Robert, Jiménez and Moncada played together
Chicago White Sox’ Eloy Jiménez, left, celebrates with Tommy Pham after the White Sox defeated the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Designated hitter Eloy Jiménez suffered a left adductor strain on March 31, leading to the first of two trips to the injured list (left hamstring strain in late May). Midfielder Luis Robert Jr. suffered a right hip flexor strain on April 6 and returned earlier this month. And on April 9, third baseman Yoán Moncada suffered a left adductor strain.
It was another painful, injury-riddled season for the Sox.
The Sox signed outfielder Tommy Pham in mid-April to help with the offense. But the foursome Pham, Robert, Jiménez and Moncada have not played any matches together yet, because Moncada is still recovering from his injury.
Last week, general manager Chris Getz said Moncada could be back around the All-Star break. But with the trade deadline approaching at that point, it remains to be seen exactly what the roster construction will look like at that point and in late July.
Rotational shuffle
The Sox have made a slight shift in their rotation for the upcoming home games. They will likely have a bullpen day against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, with the starter — as of Wednesday afternoon — yet to be announced. The Braves will start former Sox ace Chris Sale.
The Sox have drafted Drew Thorpe, Jonathan Cannon and Crochet as starters in the weekend series against the Colorado Rockies.
“Just give them extra days,” Grifol said. “We’re pushing these guys deep into games, and that’s the mentality we want to have. At the same time, these guys are young and new, different from Fedde and (Chris) Flexen. We have to control the workload a little bit.”
