The 2024 Chicago White Sox season marked the club's 125th year in Chicago, its 124th in the American League, and its 34th at Rate Field. This season, the first full one under general manager Chris Getz, quickly descended into one of the worst in team history, and indeed, one of the most challenging in modern Major League Baseball (MLB) history. The team's performance set numerous undesirable records, painting a stark picture of a season defined by
persistent losses and extended losing streaks that etched its place in baseball's record books.
A Dismal Start and Early Records
The White Sox began the 2024 season with a 3–22 record, which was the poorest start in the franchise's history. This abysmal beginning also tied for the worst start in the wild card era, a record previously held by the 2022 Cincinnati Reds and the 2003 Detroit Tigers. Furthermore, this 3–22 start was the second worst in modern baseball history, only surpassed by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles' 0–21 and 2–23 starts. These early struggles foreshadowed a season that would continue to challenge historical precedents.
On June 6, following a defeat to the Boston Red Sox, the White Sox established a new franchise record for the most consecutive losses, reaching 14. This losing streak included their first winless homestand of at least seven games in franchise history, where they went 0–7. The team's inability to secure victories early on set a tone for the entire season, indicating deep-seated issues that would persist throughout the year.
Mid-Season Woes and Further Record-Breaking Streaks
The struggles continued into the summer months. By July 14, after a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the White Sox set a new MLB record for the highest number of losses before the All-Star break, accumulating 71 defeats. This record, though broken the following year by the Colorado Rockies who lost 74 games, underscored the severity of the White Sox's performance in the first half of the season. The team was consistently losing at a pace rarely seen in modern baseball.
The franchise record for consecutive losses was broken again on July 29, when the White Sox dropped their 15th straight game. The streak did not end there; by August 5, the team had lost its 21st consecutive game. This marked the first time since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles that an MLB team endured such a prolonged losing streak. The White Sox eventually ended this streak the next day with a victory over the Athletics. Notably, they became the first team since the 2021 Baltimore Orioles to experience two separate losing streaks of 14 games or more within a single season. They also set a record for the fastest assurance of a losing season, losing 82 of their first 109 games, surpassing the 2003 Detroit Tigers, who reached 82 losses in 111 games.
Managerial Change and Playoff Elimination
Amidst this historic losing, the team made a significant change on August 8, dismissing manager Pedro Grifol after the team's record fell to 28–89. Grifol's managing career with the White Sox concluded with an 89–190 record. On the same day, Grady Sizemore was appointed as the interim manager, tasked with navigating the team through the remainder of its challenging season.
On August 17, with a loss to the Houston Astros, the White Sox became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention in 2024. This marked the earliest clinch of missing the playoffs since the divisional era began in 1969, surpassing the 2018 Baltimore Orioles. Just eight days later, on August 25, the White Sox became the fastest team since the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics to lose 100 games in a season, dropping to a 31–100 record after a loss to their division rival, the Detroit Tigers.
Concluding the Season with More Records
The team continued to set new franchise records for losses, reaching their 107th defeat on September 1 against the New York Mets. This loss was part of their first 0–10 homestand in franchise history and made them the first team since the 1965 Mets to have three losing streaks of at least ten games. The 0–10 homestand was also part of a franchise record 16 straight home losses, and a broader 12-game losing streak.
After their 118th loss to the San Diego Padres on September 20, the 2024 White Sox joined the 2003 Tigers as the only American League teams to lose at least 118 games. This particular loss also ensured that the White Sox would lose at least once against all 29 other MLB teams in one season, making them the first team in MLB history to suffer this fate. On September 27, the White Sox lost their 121st game of the season to the Detroit Tigers, surpassing the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in modern MLB history. Despite this, the White Sox finished the season at 41–121 (.253), a win percentage three-tenths of a point better than the 1962 Mets. September surprisingly proved to be their best month, with a 10–15 record, including a 5–1 record in their last six games, with the only loss coming from the aforementioned Tigers game.
