The Chicago White Sox stand perilously close to setting an undesirable record for losses in a season, reflecting a year that will not be fondly remembered by fans or players. With 120 losses, they are now tied with the infamous 1962 New York Mets. Unlike the Mets, who had the plausible excuse of being an expansion team, the White Sox have none to offer.
This season has unfolded under a new MLB schedule format, which reduced the number of division games. Now, every team faces each team from the other league annually. Despite these changes, certain historical rivalries and matchups have retained their importance.
For example, the Cleveland Guardians have shown consistent form against the White Sox. After securing a 5-5 split earlier in the season, the Guardians went on to sweep the White Sox in their most recent series, clinching the AL Central title with an 8-5 record against Chicago. This was a testament to their dominance and composure, qualities the White Sox sorely lacked.
The Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals have also capitalized on the White Sox's struggles. Both teams boast a staggering 12-1 record against Chicago, significantly boosting their standings in the wild-card race. The Royals and the Minnesota Twins, currently holding the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds respectively, have leveraged these victories in their pursuit of a postseason berth.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are riding high with a 9-1 record against the White Sox and currently outpace teams like the Mariners and Red Sox in the wild-card race, primarily due to pivotal head-to-head series victories. The performances of Kansas City and Minnesota against Chicago have been instrumental in propelling their wild-card ambitions.
In interleague play, every National League team, barring the Chicago Cubs, met the White Sox this year in a three-game series. The Crosstown Classic saw the Cubs and White Sox compete in a four-game series, which ended in a clean sweep by the Cubs. It's small victories like these that further highlight the White Sox’s extensive woes this season.
Despite an otherwise dismal record, the White Sox did manage some series wins. They notched victories against the Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washington Nationals. Particularly notable was their series against the Braves, which they won 2-1 in a season affected by rain delays.
As the season winds down, the White Sox are set to face the Tigers in a three-game series at Comerica Park this weekend. Given the Tigers' current 9-1 dominance in their matchups, this upcoming series presents a daunting challenge for Chicago. Following this, the Twins will wrap up their regular season with a series against the Baltimore Orioles, while the Royals take on the Braves.
With their season nearing its close, the White Sox find themselves in a position of introspection. The club has no tangible justifications for their poor performance this year. Consequently, a thorough rebuild and strategic reevaluation seem inevitable for the franchise.
The entire season can be distilled into a series of hard lessons and unwelcome records. The necessity to rebuild and reimagine their strategy will be top of mind for the White Sox’s management as they move forward, hoping to restore the club’s competitive edge for the seasons to come.