Nicely, people! After a commerce deadline that had extra fireworks earlier than the precise deadline than on the precise day and on this awkward interval the place almost each crew is adjusting to having newcomers on their squad, I remorse to tell y’all that it’s time to speak in regards to the Chicago White Sox as soon as once more. I did this earlier this season once they have been within the midst of what was a franchise-record 14-game shedding streak. Now, right here we’re a few months later and never solely have the 2024 White Sox damaged that file that had been set by the 2024 White Sox, they now have a fairly good shot at smashing that file to bits and becoming a member of the ranks of a number of the most actually terrible baseball groups of all time.
Yep. For a scenario that appeared to be impossibly bleak not even all that way back, issues have in some way gotten even darker for the Pale Hose. They’ve now misplaced 17 straight video games, with the Fifteenth-straight loss particularly was yet one more painful second the place they served because the background characters in what might be Bobby Witt Jr.’s MVP spotlight reel.
After getting a merciful time off immediately, they’ll need to go north and face the Minnesota Twins. I’ll begin this off by saying that it’s at all times very precarious to foretell a sweep in any given Main League Baseball sequence and in Minnesota’s case, they’re in a tiny little bit of a tough patch for the time being after they misplaced a sequence in New York towards the Mets after which had what was described in a headline from The Athletic as a “disheartening” commerce deadline. With that being stated, Minnesota’s nonetheless proper in the midst of the Postseason dialog and the Twins have gone 9-1 towards the White Sox this season — together with a four-game sweep at Goal Discipline again in April.
Additionally, if the Twins had a “disheartening” commerce deadline then what the White Sox did was simply flat-out miserable. Whereas Chicago did handle to carry on to each Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. (at the least till the winter, most probably), they despatched out Paul DeJong, Tommy Pham, Erick Fedde and Tanner Banks on the deadline. They even managed to get Baltimore to tackle Eloy Jiménez (which was trigger for precise celebration for his or her official RSN!), so this wasn’t a whole catastrophe of a deadline for the White Sox. With that being stated, this is how Andrew Mearns described how the deadline went for the South Siders:
It’s an terrible time to be a White Sox fan. They’re the worst crew in baseball by a mile, they’ve damaged their franchise file for longest shedding streak twice this yr alone (their present 16-gamer is the brand new low), and even in any case that, they gained’t even decide increased than tenth in subsequent yr’s draft. So it’s simply one other poke within the eye that their gross sales on the Commerce Deadline have been uninspiring. Congrats to 88-year-old proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf on dumping the Eloy contract although, I’m positive that he actually, actually wanted the cash and can completely reinvest it.
Oof! That is truthfully the very best and rosiest method to describe how the 2024 commerce deadline went for the White Sox (and a lot of different groups, if we’re being utterly sincere). So far as Baseball America’s prospect rankings are involved, not a single Prime 100 prospect was traded on the deadline — which is to say that Chicago followers in all probability will not be a future so brilliant that they will must put on shades. With that being stated, we’re speaking a few 27-win crew that’s led by Luis Robert Jr. with a grand complete of 1.1 FanGraphs WAR on the season. Garrett Crochet is a star-caliber pitcher as evidenced by his 4.1 fWAR on the season however each the second-and-third positioned pitchers on the White Sox’s pitching fWAR leaderboard are all out of city now which implies that the second-best pitcher on this crew is now Chris Flexen. I am saying all of that to say that the White Sox in all probability should not have anticipated any offers that might’ve rocked their group to the core.
As a substitute, they’ve gotten worse within the short-term for what could also be negligible long-term achieve. As soon as once more, “miserable” is the phrase that involves thoughts. This additionally implies that historical past could also be beckoning for this crew right here within the canine days of summer time and heading into the house stretch of the season in September. Ought to the Twins handle to get well from their deadline woes and decide themselves again up with a sweep of the White Sox this weekend, that’ll push the streak to twenty and put them in league with the likes of the inaugural Montréal Expos from 1969 and two separate Philadelphia A’s groups. Talking of the A’s, that’ll in all probability be the “finest” probability within the close to way forward for the White Sox breaking this streak.
The scare quotes are there for a purpose. Right here’s a enjoyable reality for everyone at dwelling: Whereas the Oakland Athletics are certainly in final place within the AL West and the second-worst crew within the American League at 47-65, they’re 18.5 video games forward of the White Sox within the AL standings. That’s completely mortifying! So whereas the A’s themselves are fairly unhealthy, they don’t seem to be moribund just like the White Sox are and that might very properly flip right into a sweep as properly. Twenty-three video games would put them up there with the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies and provides them a tie for the worst shedding streak within the trendy period. Historical past is properly and actually throughout the grasp of the White Sox at this level however their woes may even get even deeper than that!
If the White Sox are certainly on a 23-game shedding streak by this time subsequent week, then they will need to metal themselves for what is going to certainly be the struggle of their baseball lives. If the streak continues to be intact, then the file will probably be on the road at Assured Charge Discipline towards none aside from the Chicago Cubs. Whereas the Cubs did not essentially purchase or promote on the deadline, one factor that is for sure is that they don’t seem to be punting on 2024 simply but. They are going to want each final win they’ll get in the event that they need to maintain on to what’s already a really tenuous shot at stepping into the Postseason and you understand that everyone in that constructing carrying Cubbie Blue would love nothing greater than to place the nail within the coffin and deal the White Sox their most embarrassing defeat shortly.
If this shedding streak will get to 24 video games then the White Sox could be on their lonesome within the trendy period and would be a part of the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. By that time, it’s possible that this factor may even get all the way in which as much as 30 contemplating that the Pale Hose would then need to face the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. It is extremely unlikely to get near 30 however the truth that it is even throughout the realm of chance is terrifying!
Ought to this shedding streak proceed to worsen, then the streak will not be the one piece of historical past that the White Sox could be making. They’d even be “chasing” the notorious 1962 Mets for the worst common season file in a season that went at the least 162 video games. They’re already behind these Mets by way of profitable share and if this streak will get as unhealthy because it presumably may then they might find yourself being a digital lock to “surpass” the ’62 Mets and go down in historical past because the worst crew to ever set foot on a Main League Baseball area.
It is a crew that was already a whole catastrophe earlier than the deadline and now they’ve shipped out a number of the only a few productive members of this crew. If I used to be a White Sox fan then I would truthfully be rooting for the streak to proceed. No person talks a few crew that merely wins or loses 100 video games however all people could be speaking a few crew that gained or misplaced 120 video games. Historical past beckons for the 2024 Chicago White Sox and now it is as much as this group to both reply the decision and change into a really memorable five-alarm tire fireplace or only a pretty notable midway crooks in inglorious baseball lore.
